My Brother's Keeper
by deepwater1978
Summary: True love doesn't mean being inseparable; it means being separated and nothing changes.
1. Chapter 1

_NEW YORK, JUNE 11 2016_

Damon Salvatore leaned his shoulder against a lodge pole pine support beam, and squinted his eyes through the dying rays of the New York sun.

In the distance, a blazing sunset flamed the sky to a bright gold. In closer, hanging light bulbs strung around the flagstone patio offered their own riot of colour. It was summer and the heat was suffocating. But as the evening breeze arrived, it did cool down the temperature.

It felt good to have the weekend off work. Damon had always enjoyed spending his time with two of his good friends, Enzo and Alaric. They had known each other for more than ten years. Damon and Enzo were trained in the police cadet at the same time. Alaric was their senior when they first started their job in the police department in Richmond. Five years ago, three of them joined the Drug Enforcement Administration department in New York.

Alaric had been the first to bite the matrimonial dust. Enzo went next. Only Damon retained his free and easy bachelor ways…although hanging on his freedom was getting harder to do in the face of the persistent efforts by the wives of his two friends.

Like Bonnie.

Damon swallowed a groan as he spotted Enzo's wife Bonnie making her way across the patio, another potential candidate in tow. Bonnie had brought a film crew to New York to shoot a commercial ad. Bonnie must have scoured New York to come up with every single, divorced, or otherwise unattached female camera operator or sound manager. This one wasn't bad, Damon conceded, if your tastes ran to rail-thin honey-brown haired woman with size-sixteen egos poured into size-six jeans.

"Hey, Damon."

"Hey, yourself, Bonbon."

Bonnie rolled her eyes while Damon winked at her. Damon had come up with the nickname "Bonbon" since the day Enzo introduced Bonnie to him.

"My husband claims you are a great dancer. You know Enzo. He trips over his own feet on a dance floor."

"Your husband knows whereof he speaks. Want to take a turn?"

"I can't. I sprained my ankle last week and it still hurts if I stand too long. But I went to a few discos with Rose. Trust me, she can make every move known to man."

Somehow, that didn't surprise Damon. But because he genuinely liked the vibrant, dark-haired woman who made his best friend so happy, he didn't say so. Good-naturedly, he smiled at the blonde.

"Care to show me a few of those moves, Rose?"

"Whenever you are ready, handsome."

Feeling smug with the results of her matchmaking, Bonnie watched Damon lead the scriptwriter to the flagstone patio. Viewing his tall, broad-shouldered frame against the last ray of the dying sun made her fingers itch for a camera. Damon possessed a handsomeness that could stop a girl's breath at twenty paces. He was an extremely handsome man with a height of 5'10' and a well-toned body. With striking, intense blue eyes contrasting wonderfully against darkened lashes and eyebrows, a "bad boy" smile, he could be described as relatively athletic, tall, strong, sexy and seductive.

"You are wasting your time."

Bonnie turned at the sound of a soft voice. Alaric had known Damon and Enzo since they finished their training at the police cadet. He was like an older brother to both of them.

"Damon is stubborn when it comes to hanging on to his bachelor ways."

"He can't hold out forever," Bonnie replied with cheerful ruthlessness. "If he is going to fall, I would just as soon he falls for someone I know and like."

Alaric's laughter rippled above the music. "Nobody can change Damon. He's got his life arranged just the way he likes it."

"So I have noticed," Bonnie grumbled, recalling the string of friends and associates she had already paraded past the rakishly handsome DEA agent. "So what's Damon's excuse? He doesn't have any routine at all that I can see. Half the time he is under cover. The other half, he is on the street dodging bullets."

The laughter in Alaric's eyes dimmed. "That's the problem. No women manage to catch him."

"Had Damon ever fallen in love?" Bonnie asked curiously. Her gaze went to the tall, broad-shouldered DEA agent. "I'm sure he would have a girlfriend in the past."

"He did see some women in the past ten years but none of them last long."

"But why? Damon doesn't appear to be a womaniser."

"No, he is definitely not. The one and only time Damon fell in love was ten years ago. We were still working in Richmond at that time."

"Oh, nice!" Bonnie said. "What happened?"

"Damon ended the relationship."

"Why? Why did he end the relationship if he was in love?"

Alaric shrugged. "Damon never mention anything about it."

"Do you know who was the woman?"

"Nope."

"Hmm. Do you think the woman is still in Mystic Falls?" Bonnie asked.

"Maybe."

"Is that the reason Damon hardly go back to Mystic Falls? Because he is afraid he will see her again?"

"Maybe. Who knows?" Alaric looped his arm through Bonnie's. "Come on, let's go and give my wife a hand in the kitchen if you want to have dinner."

Bonnie went with him, casting a last look at the couple moving with languid grace around the roped-off dance area. Damon gave every indication of enjoying the partner who had just stopped short of wrapping herself around him, but Bonnie knew him well enough to recognise the signs. His hormones were engaged, but not his interest.

So much for Rose.

Obviously Damon was still pining for a woman in Mystic Falls.

But she refused to let another strike-out discourage her. Damon had to move on with his life. Maybe she would invite Andie Starr to join them the next time they had a got together. Surely, the dazzling beautiful, up-and-coming news reporter could generate some sparks.

Happily, unaware of Bonnie's plans, Damon managed to shed his clinging partner after two dances and joined Alaric and Enzo at the tin washtub filled with melting ice and beers. He popped a top, and let the beer go down cold and fast.

"Steering Bonnie's friend around the patio hard work?" Alaric ribbed.

"Why don't you try it and find out?"

"No, thanks. If I want to dance, my partner will always be my lovely wife."

Dismissing his friend with a grunt, Damon appealed to Enzo. "What's the odds of your wife running out of candidates any time soon?"

"Pretty slim," Enzo stated with a grin. "She's got more friends and connections than the cops we have in New York."

Damon groaned. "Your wife should be in a match-making business instead of working at the TV station."

Alaric chuckled. "Find yourself a woman and she would stop."

"Alaric is right," Enzo agreed with him. "You need to find yourself a girlfriend, mate."

"I had a girlfriend," Damon said.

"You broke off with Charlotte more than a year ago," Enzo said.

"She wanted out," Damon explained. "I knew I was never going to be the man she had wanted."

"I think it should be the other way around. She was never going to be the woman you had wanted." Alaric laughed scornfully. "The woman you are looking for probably doesn't exist."

"Maybe" Damon replied with a shrug. "It worked out well for Charlotte. Last I heard she is going out with a lawyer. Everyone is happy."

"Including you?" Enzo watched him closely.

"I'm happy," Damon said.

"What about Meredith Fell?" Alaric asked. "What went wrong?"

"Oh, yes. Meredith Fell. The doctor. She is hot." Enzo looked at Damon with interest. "The way she was looking at you…you know. She was interested in you, buddy."

"There was nothing going on between Meredith and I," Damon explained. "I only needed information from her about a case. I haven't talked to her for more than six months. I won't even consider her as a friend. We are just acquaintances."

Enzo shook his head. "Man, you are difficult."

"I'm not difficult," Damon shot back. "I like my life now. What's wrong with being single?"

"There is nothing wrong being single," Alaric said. "As long as you are happy."

"I'm happy," Damon reassured his friends. "I have a great job and the most important of all, I have you guys."

"We are happy as long as you are happy." Alaric lifted his bottle of beer to Damon in a salute.

Damon smiled as he took another pull on his beer. He treasured his friendship with these two men beside him. He always got too caught up in the dark underworld of counter narcotics. But he knew these two would always be on his side, no matter what had happened.

X x x

Two hours later Damon was still awake. Arms folded behind his head, he stared up at the deep shadows on the ceiling of his New York apartment.

It was his birthday next weekend.

Thirty-five.

Damon Salvatore would be thirty-five.

Jesus! Age was creeping up on him. Thirty-five didn't sound terribly old but somehow he felt old. Sometimes he still felt like a kid at heart but a very weary kid.

Maybe he had been alone by himself for too long.

Loneliness had never been a problem before, Damon thought fleetingly. He had been on his own for so long that he had a hard time imagining any other sort of life. He preferred being alone. It was natural for him now. No, being alone had become a way of life and he had been stoically satisfied with his path.

Why the hell had he ever gone into law enforcement? He wondered, not for the first time. Giuseppe had wanted him to stay home and help run the family business in Mystic Falls but Damon had been too rambunctious to remain at home, and too eager to explore the world outside of Mystic Falls. After Giuseppe's death, Zach Salvatore, Giuseppe's youngest brother had taken over the family business. Only Stefan, Damon's younger brother, had returned for good after graduating from the medical school of University of Virginia. Of course, he had had good reason to stay in Mystic Falls because Stefan had been in love with Elena Gilbert for as long as Damon could remember.

Elena Gilbert, the prettiest girl in Mystic Falls. No, correction. Not prettiest. She was the most beautiful girl in Mystic Falls. Elena Gilbert, the cool, attractive brunette, the fashion trendsetter, the high school senior, the girl every boy wanted and every girl wanted to be.

Even after all these years, he still couldn't quite get her out of his mind. But who was he kidding? He had never gotten over Elena Gilbert. He probably would never get over her. Bonnie had been trying to hook him up with various women in the last few years. There would be no other woman on God's green earth who might interest him anymore besides Elena Gilbert.

It was only then, as silence descended and a semblance of superficial peace settled on the room, that Damon allowed himself to think about what he had felt when he made love to her on his twenty fifth birthday. It was so good. So good. Damn it to hell. His body was hardening again just at the thought of it.

No women could make him happy. Except Elena…

And what had he done about that situation?

He had walked away. He left.

He tensed, anticipating the jab of pain that always came with the reminder of how he had let Elena go. His shoulders went stiff, the way they did whenever he thought of her.

"I'm serious, Elena. I can't see you anymore. I don't want to hear your voice, I don't want to talk to you, I don't even want to look at you, and I sure as hell don't want to be your friend," he said. And ten years had passed.

She was never going to leave Stefan. She would stay with him forever. She was wearing Stefan's brand, Damon reminded himself grimly. Stefan had staked a claim to her.

Well, dammit it, Damon couldn't take it anymore.

What would it have been like, he had wondered, if he didn't leave Mystic Falls ten years ago? What if he had pursued her? Would he stand a chance?

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS, OCTOBER 31 2005_

"Damn it!" The brunette kicked the flat tyre at the left front end. "Why am I so unlucky?"

"If you do that again," Damon said behind the brunette, "I shall have to report you to the police for being cruel to cars."

The brunette jerk around and saw him strolling towards her.

They stared at each other, two strangers.

Her impression was of a cult superstar who could be easily the idol of his generation. He wore a pair of denims and a dark grey shirt with rolled-up sleeves. He wore sunglasses and his hair was dark brown, almost black.

"It's not funny," she said crossly. But she felt a shiver of excitement. Who was he? She wondered.

Damon stopped about two feet away. "Driving on a flat wreck it."

The brunette casted a wretched eye at the SUV's wheel, wondering how much new tyres would cost. A lot, anyway.

"It's an unfortunate fact of life," Damon said. "That merely gazing dolefully at flat tyres doesn't get them fixed. The usual procedure is to whack the spare out of the boot and whack it on."

"Do you specialise in stating the obvious?"

"Now and then," he mused. "And if you will bear with me, I will do a bit more. Right this minute, two thoughts are going through your head. The first is roughly, 'Oh, sod it, I have never changed a wheel before,' and the second is, roughly, 'This scruffy guy could probably do the honours but this means I have to asked him.'" He added a smile as if to say, _"Right?"_

He oozed a laid-back confidence that went perfectly with his voice. It was dark and deep and warm as melted chocolate. There was a faint burr, too, which she couldn't quite place, but it made her think of warm, lazy days by the sea.

He was older than the boys in her school. He wasn't a boy anymore. He was a grown-up man. He looked good, she thought. Exciting. Powerful and predatory and wholly in control.

"Wrong," the brunette retorted, pushing a few tendrils of hair from her face. "I know perfectly well how to change a wheel so you might as well just continue your drive on the road."

Damon returned her stare. Not bad. The brunette in front of him was a very beautiful and attractive young woman with an oval face, light olive complexion, almond-shaped brown eyes, and long dark brown hair. He checked out on her body. Slim but definitely acceptable.

Returning to the other side of her SUV, she took the keys out, unlocked the boot and removed the spare and tools. He had been partly right. She had never changed a wheel before, but her father who had not only taught her to drive, but had also gone through the routines of wheels and fan belts with her.

Damon folded his arms across his chest. "Are you sure you can change a wheel by yourself, sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that," she whispered furiously.

"Okay, honey. What should I call you?"

She glared at him. "I don't need your help. Please go away."

But Damon did not walk away. He sat back on the verge, leaning on his elbows with the general air of a man about to enjoy a good laugh. "Got the handbrake on?" he enquired.

She didn't even bother replying. Did he think she was completely clueless?

"The thing is, just because you can do something doesn't mean you have to," Damon said casually. "All you have to do is ask. I'm willing to help. I'm easy like that."

She continued to ignore him.

"My name's Damon, by the way."

"I don't have time to chat," she said.

She was doing her best to ignore him, but it wasn't easy, since he was only two feet away and obviously watching her every move behind those sunglasses.

Just ignore him, she told herself firmly.

Everything was ready. Spare, instructions, jack, spanner. First you levered the hubcap off, then you loosened the nuts, then you jacked it up and took the flat wheel off, then you put the spare on and did everything in reverse.

Easier said than done.

Her best friend, Caroline Forbes wouldn't be changing wheels in the first place. She wouldn't even have considered changing wheels. She would have given him a dazzling smile before he had uttered one word and said, "Oh, gosh, I suppose you couldn't possible help me, could you?" And she would have sat back instead of getting all hot and bothered. She could have possibly given him a kiss when he had finished.

Forget Caroline, and get spannering.

Levering the hubcap off was such a piece of cake, her confidence soared.

Loosen the nuts before jacking up. This was less cakey, but no big deal. With a bit of effort, the first three gave way quite easily.

It was the fourth that defeated her. No matter how she heaved and grunted, it refused to budge.

Damon was really enjoying himself now. With a grin on his face, he issued helpful advice. "Probably just needs a good squirt of lubricant. Got a can of lubricant in the boot?"

"Shut up!" She heaved and grunted some more.

"Get down a bit more," he advised. "Really put that little back into it."

She got down a bit further and put every ounce of strength into it. The nuts still wouldn't shift.

"Seized-up nuts can be a trifle stubborn," Damon remarked. "Sometimes the heads snap off and then you are really up the proverbial creek."

That did it. Red-faced with exertion and fury, the brunette straightened up and approached him, brandishing the spanner. "How would you like your nuts snapped off, you pain-in-the-neck…"

With a swift, fluid movement Damon rose to his feet. "Oh, give it to me," he said, with infuriating male tolerance, taking the spanner from her hand.

God, it was so galling to see the easy, confident way he applied spanner to nut, expecting it to shift with only a modicum of his massive strength.

Except that it didn't.

Being only human, she enjoyed a silent but sweetly triumphant laugh as a frown appeared on his brow. However, the gloat-impulse quickly died. He tried again, with more show of effort this tie, and failed again.

"Hmm," he frowned, straightening up. "It would seem that we are in a stuck-nut situation."

"You can't shift it, you mean," the brunette said primly. "After you thought it would be such an easy task."

As she had fully expected, he rose to this. "I was hardly giving it all I have got. If you want me to force it and possibly snap the head off, I will."

"Then what would I do?"

"I can give you a lift." He motioned toward the blue Camaro parked about six feet away. "I'm heading to town anyway."

The brunette lifted her gaze to him. An uneasy chill prickled her spine. Could she trust him? He could be absolutely anybody.

"Don't trust me?" he mocked. Then his white teeth flashed in a grin that was pure, rogue male. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm a cop."

Her brown eyes searched his face. "Do you have some identification?"

He blinked. "You think I'm lying?"

Her chin came up. "Are you?"

Digging into his back pocket, he pulled out a black leather case. A single flip displayed his photo ID and gold badge with its blue enamel shield, surmounted by an open-winged gold eagle.

"You believe me now?" he sneered. Flipping the leather case shut, he slid it into his back pocket. "You want to get into my car?"

"I can't leave my car here," she said. Her voice sounded desperate. "Give it all you have got, then. Please. Get the nut out."

He got stuck in again, and this time she really thought it was going to snap. His muscles bulged under his shirt and his face positively contorted with effort. And suddenly, the nut gave up the unequal struggle.

"Phew," Damon breathed, straightening up. "Stubborn little devil. Almost as stubborn as you."

He bent down again and began fitting the jack.

"No!" she said hastily, as he glanced up. "I want to do it myself. I have never done it before and I would rather know."

He straightened up and gazed down at her. "I knew you hadn't."

"But my father showed me. So if you will kindly shift yourself…"

He stood back and managed to refrain from giving advice, restricting himself to holding the nuts.

When it was done, she was hotter and sweatier than she had been in years, despite it was late autumn now. Her hands were filthy and her hair was messy.

"You can go now," she said shortly, after loading everything back into the boot.

"Your face needs a lick," Damon said with amusement. "You have wiped your mucky little mitts on your face."

A glance in the side mirror told her he was right. There were smudges on her nose and cheeks.

 _Oh, God!_ She mentally groaned. Then she saw him pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. Fascinated, like one hypnotised, she watched him approach her and reach out to grasp her chin in his fingers.

He tilted her head back so he could see what he was doing as he applied the handkerchief to the smudges on her nose and cheeks. He went about his job absorbedly, unemotionally, but she was finding it difficult to breathe. His whole presence was overwhelming, suffocating. The fingers on her jaw were strong, but gentle.

"There you go." He smiled beguilingly as he moved his fingers away. "No more dirty face."

"Thank…thank you," she stammered. What was the matter with her?

"You are welcome. I'm Damon," he said. "As you may have gathered."

"I'm Elena."

"Nice to meet you, Elena." He removed his sunglasses.

Elena's heart gave a violent twist. He was extraordinarily attractive. She was certain women drooled over him.

His eyes were blue, but not light blue. It was an intriguing mixture of pale blue and metallic grey, rimmed with the kind of thick dark lashes no wretched man had a right to and glinting with something wild and sweet and wicked…

"Are you from Mystic Falls?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, momentarily distracted by his question.

Damon gave her an amused look. "I ask, are you from Mystic Falls?"

"No, I…I used to live in Richmond. I move to Mystic Falls a year ago," Elena replied.

He nodded, the movement a mere dip of his head.

"Are you on holiday?" she asked.

"More or less. I'm going to catch up with someone I haven't seen in ages."

"Girlfriend?" she blurted out. Did she really say that?

His mouth kicked up in a half a grin. "Someone important."

"Oh."

"My brother. I haven't seen him for more than a year," he added, as if reading her thoughts. "After finishing my degree in Washington DC, I had joined the police department three years ago. You know how busy the life of a cop can be," he chuckled. "We are always on the streets dodging bullets."

She swallowed a giggle. Three years in university and three years working as a cop would make him twenty-four-ish – more or less what she would thought. "What makes you decide to become a cop?"

"Challenge. I like challenge." He kept his eyes locked with hers. "I don't give up easily."

She cleared her throat. "Aren't your parents worried about you? I mean…your job is dangerous."

"My dad died a few years ago. Mum died when I was ten."

"I'm sorry," Elena said, apologising for talking about his parents. "I didn't know your parents…"

"Don't be," he said with a lazy grin. "I still have a brother and an uncle. I'm not alone."

"They are happy with your decision?"

"They are supportive," he said. "But I don't really care what others think. I have wanted to be a cop since young. I enjoy being a cop. And nothing is going to stop me."

It was astonishing to Elena that someone could be so determined to go after one's dream. He reminded her of her father. Her father was a phenomenal doctor, always trying to help the people who truly needed medical care but couldn't afford it.

"What does your girlfriend think about your chosen profession?" she asked curiously.

He slid her an amused glance. "There isn't a girlfriend, if that's what you are asking."

It was, but Elena saw no reason to say so.

"But if there was," he continued with a careless shrug, "she had to accept my job because I'm not going to give it up."

"Huh, uh."

His eyes narrowed. "You have a problem with that?"

"No," she assured him. "Not really."

"What about you? What are you doing here in the middle of nowhere?" he asked. "Surely your boyfriend would be worried about you talking to a strange man. He should look after you, shouldn't he?"

"I dropped my mum to her friend's house. Dad is busy today and I need to use the car," she explained. "I am perfectly capable of looking after myself. I'm not a kid. I don't need a boyfriend or a guardian angel."

"Sure," he said, flashing another heart-stopping grin. "You do know how to look after yourself. I can see that from the way you changed the tyre just now."

Elena flushed hotly from embarrassment and anger. Damon, was still looking at her with that annoying, amused grin, and she lashed out at him. "It was my first time to change a flat tyre."

"And you did it," he said softly. "By yourself."

She swallowed hard. She was still trying to recover from that dazzling combination of white teeth, blue eyes and uncensored male when he pointed toward the sky.

"I think we better get going. The heavy clouds are moving in fast. The storm will hit soon."

Elena glanced at her watch. "Jesus, I didn't realise it is so late. I have to pick up aunt Jenna…" She wrenched the door open and got into the car. She paused and looked at him through the open door. "I hope you will have a good time with your brother."

He grabbed the door before she could close it. "You think we will see each other again?" Reaching out, he laid his fingertips against her smooth cheek.

She looked up at him. She couldn't think. Her brain had been swept clean when he was close to her.

He studied her intently before a grin tugged at his lips. "Goodbye, Elena." He shut her door and got into his blue Camaro.

Her heart was still racing erratically as she watched him drive away. Damon was dangerous and she knew it.


	2. Chapter 2

_MYSTIC FALLS, JUNE 18 2016_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today is his birthday. He will turn thirty-five today. I haven't seen his face for almost three thousand six hundred and fifty days._ _I haven't held him. I haven't seen his smile. I haven't heard his voice. He is in New York but I don't know exactly which part of New York he is in. Every so often he lingered in my thoughts. I wonder how he is, how he is doing. I miss him. I miss him badly._

 _I don't know why I wrote that. It's crazy. I'm engaged. I'm Stefan's fiancée. I shouldn't think about another man. But I can't help myself. Especially today._

 _When do you know you love someone? Stefan told me that he knew the moment he laid eyes on me that I was the only woman for him. But I cheated on Stefan. I'm not that impulsive but somehow I was ten years ago. I spent a night with another man and I hadn't been intimate with anyone before._

 _I love Stefan. I do love him. But I love someone else just as fiercely. I know it's selfish. I know that I'm stringing both of them along. But I don't – I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I mean, if I choose one of them then I lose the other and I have lost so many people. I just – I can't bear the thought of losing one of them._

 _I know. That sounds totally crazy. In the end he made the choice. He left. Without goodbye. I hurt him. I hurt him badly. And the most horrible feeling I had ever felt in my life came over me when I realised he was gone. I had never felt so utterly and completely lost._

 _I still can't forget about him after ten years._ _And I know that I can't love them both, I know that it's wrong._

 _Stefan was talking about our wedding the other day. But it didn't feel right to me, as if I shouldn't marry him. I don't belong to him. And the worst thing is that I feel there's someone I do belong to, but I just can't find that person._

Elena Gilbert stopped writing. She stared at the last line she had written and then shook her head, pen hovering over the small book with the blue velvet cover. Then, with a sudden gesture, she lifted her head and threw pen and book at the big bay window, where they bounced off harmlessly and landed on the upholstered window seat.

It was all so completely ridiculous.

A hot bath and some coffee and I will calm down, she thought. The morning ritual of washing and dressing was soothing, and she dawdled over it, sorting through her outfits from her wardrobe. She finally chose a turquoise blue top matched with a pair of black leather leggings. She had to change to her scrubs when she arrived at the hospital anyway.

"Elena! Where are you? You're going to be late for work!" The voice drifted faintly up from below.

Elena ran the brush one more time through her hair. Then she grabbed her burgundy satchel and went down the stairs.

In the kitchen, her brother Jeremy was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and Aunt Jenna was burning something on the stove. Aunt Jenna was the sort of woman who always looked vaguely flustered; she had a thin, mild face and light flyaway hair pushed back untidily. Elena landed a peck on her cheek.

"Good morning, everybody. Sorry I don't have time for breakfast."

"But, Elena, you can't just go off without eating. You need your protein…"

"I will get something in the hospital," said Elena briskly.

"But, Elena…"

"And I will probably be in theatre in the whole day and will be late, so don't wait dinner. Bye!"

"Elena-"

Elena was already at the front door. She closed it behind her, cutting off Aunt Jenna's distant protests, and stepped out onto the front porch.

And stopped.

Stefan was leaning on his red Porsche waiting for her. He smiled at her. "Good morning."

"I thought you are flying to Washington DC today," Elena said as she walked towards him.

"I brought you coffee." Stefan waved the cup of coffee in his hand. "I know you need coffee first thing in the morning."

Oh, hell, yes. She was a complete addict. "Thank you." She smiled warmly at him as she took the cup of coffee. "Every coffee lover's dream," she sighed as she took a sip of the coffee.

"I hope you like it bold," he commented. "It's a stronger blend. I got it from the new coffee shop around the corner."

Elena breathed in the delicious aroma coming from the steaming cup and her mouth watered. "It is fabulous."

Stefan smiled. "I'm glad you like it." He put his arms on her shoulders, leaned his head down, his lips nuzzling her ear. "I'm going to miss you, Elena."

"You are only going away for a few days…" She squeaked as his hungry lips trailed down the side of her neck.

"I will miss you if I don't see you. I always do," he repeated as his hands moved to her hips and stroked against the leather legging, exploring her body greedily.

Her head dropped to one side, giving him free access to let him explore the sensitive skin at the side of her neck. "Stefan, we are on the street…"

"Sorry, I got carried away," he said as he moved back, giving her space.

"What time is your flight?" Elena asked. Definitely time to change the topic. "Have you finished packing?"

"I'm flying in the afternoon. I have plenty of time," he reassured her. "I have enough time to drop you to the hospital."

"No, I can drive to work today. I will be in theatre the whole day and will be late. I prefer to drive."

He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. "Make sure you have a rest and something to eat between cases. You work too hard, Elena."

She gave him a fleeting smile. "I know how to look after myself."

"I will always worry about you. You are my fiancée. And soon my wife."

Elena winced at his words. Stefan glanced at her and his eyes narrowed. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes. I'm good," she lied.

"By the way, I spoke to Damon this morning," Stefan said casually as he walked her to her SUV.

"Oh. How is Damon?" she asked, hoping her voice sounded normal.

He chuckled. "Grumpy but as expected. It's his birthday today. Damon turns thirty-five today."

Elena managed a weak smile. "How is he doing? Is he still in New York?"

"He is still in New York," Stefan answered, beaming. "I told him about our wedding."

She stiffened. "What did he say?"

"He is happy for us." Stefan grinned. "I told him I want my brother to be my best man and guess what?"

"What?" she asked cautiously.

"He said yes," Stefan declared, winking at her. "Damon is coming back for our wedding."

A knot of fear and panic grew in Elena's stomach, the colour draining from her face. She felt as if her life had fallen apart. She stopped abruptly as her hand reached out to grip the door handle.

"Elena, are you alright?" She felt Stefan's muscular arms came around her. "Christ, you look like hell!"

She took a deep breath, turning her eyes to his. "I'm okay, Stefan. I'm okay."

"You are not fine," Stefan barked. "You shouldn't go to work today."

"No, I'm fine," she argued as she moved away from his embrace. "I have plenty of things to do today. I'm not taking the day off."

"No, you aren't working today. I'm bringing you to see the doctor."

"I'm not seeing a doctor," she told him in a warning tone. "I'm late. I need to go now."

"Elena…"

"I will talk to you later," Elena said as she opened the door and climbed into the SUV.

"Elena, please," Stefan mouthed.

"Goodbye Stefan." She closed the door, put the behemoth into gear and drove off toward the main road.

Stefan watched the SUV disappeared into the trees.

He fatefully met her for the first time at the beginning of the new school year in 2004 outside of the men's washroom. He was undeniably drawn to her and he felt that he had an instant, deep and indescribable connection with her. They were friends initially and eventually they became closer after the death of her parents. He thought they shared many qualities, hobbies, traits, values and beliefs in common. He believed Elena was his epic love.

But he didn't understand Elena. He didn't understand her despite they had been together for almost ten years. He got inside his Porsche and smouldered in his own private hell. Oh, he had her, but he had never really had her.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS, NOVEMBER 1 2005_

Elena Gilbert was sixteen when her family moved to Mystic Falls. Her father, Grayson Gilbert was a paediatrician and her mother Miranda was a journalist. Her brother, Jeremy was a year younger than her. Grayson believed Mystic Falls would be a great place for the kids to grow up. Many people believed that growing up in a big city was the way to go, but Grayson believed living in a small town offered more chances at learning key life lessons.

Elena agreed. Her father was smart and wise. She believed he had made the best choice for her and her brother.

She still loved Mystic Falls after living here for a year. Why? Many girls of her age would prefer to live in big cities but she didn't.

Reason one: crime and safety. Crime played a major role in many communities. This was where the small towns often offered more security verses a large city. She and Jeremy could spend all day outside exploring and hiking in the woods. The amazing part was that their parents had peace of mind even though they were out on our own. Large city crime could range anywhere from drugs or even a shooting. In a small town however, one of the worst crimes you could do was wear miss matching socks to church.

Reason two: you know everyone in town and everyone knows you. For Elena personally, this gave her a sense of accountability. She personally enjoyed going to a small high school. The class sizes were small so the relationship between students and teachers was strong. In Mystic Falls, football season was the highlight of the year. From wearing a boy's jersey down the hall, to cheering your heart out at the game Friday night, football season was what people of all ages looked forward to. A group of friends in a small town were inseparable from one another. They knew when something was wrong with one another and if you picked a fight with one; you got them all.

That's the reasons why she loved Mystic Falls and she loved Mystic Falls High School.

She was standing in the school yard with her best friend, Caroline Forbes when Caroline nudged her conspiratorially and whispered, "Here he comes."

"He" was Stefan Salvatore – Mystic Falls High School golden boy. Being an A student and the football star, Stefan was well-liked and popular. Lately Stefan had been noticing her in a big way.

From where she stood, Elena could see Stefan was smiling at her. He was dressed in a pair of faded jeans he probably had to peel off at night, tight T-shirt, and a leather jacket of unusual cut. His hair was short, straight and dark blonde. She couldn't deny Stefan was good-looking. There was no doubt about that.

But not sexy enough. Not exciting as well. Right, Stefan would never fall into the category of sexy and exciting.

Unlike Damon.

There was something different about Damon, dangerous. But not in a way that scared her. He was exciting. She almost smiled as she remembered their meeting yesterday.

"Look at you," Caroline teased. "You are smiling. I bet he is going to ask you out."

Elena frowned. "Shut up," she muttered. "He will hear you. And he is not asking me out."

"He is. I'm one hundred per cent sure."

"Hi Elena." Stefan came to a halt in front of them.

"Hello, Stefan," Elena responded politely.

"Are you free tonight? Do you want to come to my birthday party?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

Elena considered his invitation. In a way she was flattered. In a way, Stefan Salvatore was the golden boy of Mystic Falls High School and was looked on as the catch of the year. She didn't dislike Stefan. But then again she didn't – like most of the other girls in school – feel "that way" about him.

"Hmm…" she said, caught off guard and stalling.

"Am I invited as well?" Caroline interjected. "Elena won't be bored if I'm around."

"Sure, you are more than welcome to come to my party," Stefan said. Then he looked at Elena again. "So is that a yes?" he asked.

"Okay," she replied.

"You know my address right?" Stefan asked, beaming. "I will see the two of you at seven."

He gave them a glowing smile before walking away.

"Uh-oh. Stefan's got that look. The "I'm so in love with Elena" look," Caroline teased. "He is serious about you."

"I hardly know him!" exclaimed Elena. "He knows nothing about me either."

"Well, that's why the two of you have to spend more time together getting to know each other." Caroline paused. "Unless you still feel something for Matt."

Oh, Matt Donovan. Six months ago Elena had hoped that he was the one she was looking for, the boy who could make her feel... well, something more. And she had come to feel a strong affection for Matt. But over the summer, when she had had time to think, she had realized it was the affection of a cousin or brother.

She liked Matt more than any other boy she had known. And that was why she told him it was over after summer. Matt was upset and hurt. She didn't know how to explain to him. She cared about him but there was no spark between them.

Matt didn't understand. She didn't really understand herself.

It was as if she were always reaching for... something. Only, when she thought she had got it, it wasn't there. Not with Matt, not even with Stefan.

"Matt is a friend," Elena said. "He will always be my friend."

"Then it makes things easier, isn't it?" Caroline said happily. "Stefan likes you and he is good for you. Trust me."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, trust me."

The bell rang. Elena allowed Caroline to propel her down the corridor, up a flight of stairs, and into a classroom. She slid into an empty seat automatically and fixed her eyes on the teacher at the front without really seeing her.

Was Stefan the one she was looking for? She wasn't so sure herself.

x x x

Elena and Caroline reached the party at a little after seven pm. and it was already in full swing. The party wasn't difficult to spot. On a quiet, residential, backwater street a little north of Mystic Falls, the booming blast noise from about a hundred different speakers all blaring out into the blue night sky was the only compass that one needed. The Salvatore's house was a lavish mansion. Elena had to force her open mouth to close as Caroline pulled the car around the driveway, letting them out in the front of the palatial residence.

"This is…spectacular," she whispered to Caroline as they got out of the car.

"That's why Stefan is the catch of the year," Caroline said in an excited voice. "You are very lucky, my dear!"

Elena rolled her eyes. "I'm not dating him."

"Yet," Caroline teased.

"Come on. Let's go in. We are late." Elena laughed as she slipped her arm around Caroline's shoulder and led her to the front door.

The door swung open before they could ring the bell.

"Hey girls, it's great to see the two of you. Please come in."

Dressed in a round-neck long sleeve dark blue T-shirt and a pair of denims, Stefan looked like a model…but in Elena's opinion, he lacked Damon's sex appeal. What was wrong with her? She had been comparing Stefan with Damon the whole day. Get a grip, she told herself. Damon was a stranger. She knew nothing about him. He was a visitor and she probably would never see him again.

"Happy Birthday, Stefan." Caroline smiled and passed him a present. "It's from Elena…and me."

Elena shot her a glance before turning her attention back to Stefan. "Happy Birthday, Stefan."

"Thanks." Stefan smiled warmly at them. "Eat, get a drink, have a good time," he suggested jovially. "I have to go and get more drinks."

The party was predictably massive. Elena recognised most of the faces. Most of the football players and cheer leaders were here. OhThe music was loud. Multi-coloured banners were draped on the walls of the living room. A stack of unopened presents stood in the corner of the room wrapped in smooth shiny wrapping paper. A big group of youngsters loomed over the table which was filled with food and drinks. Elena and Caroline weaved their way through the crowd before they reached the lavish food and drink tables.

"This is so cool," Caroline exclaimed and shoved a bottle of beer in front of her face. "I like parties."

Elena helped herself to the cold beer, swigging from the bottle and checking everything out. There was even a dance floor where everyone was happily lapping up the music. She noticed the music playing in the background. The tunes sounded like the music she enjoyed. Caroline was right. This was going to be fun. All of a sudden, this party wasn't so bad after all.

"Hey girls, you girls look lovely." Tyler came barrelling over with Matt, both taking the beers in their hands.

Elena glanced at Matt. He held his bottle up as his hello. She felt sorry about Matt; she knew he had been hurt by their break-up. He had hardly spoken to her since the break-up, usually passing her with a quick nod.

She wanted to tell him that she had never meant to hurt him, and that she felt terrible now. But she didn't know how to begin.

"Oh…feast your eyes on him!" Caroline nudged Elena excitedly. "Now he's what I call gorgeous!"

Elena glanced around. "Who?" she asked vaguely.

"Him. Standing by the door," Caroline said, staring. "I wonder who he is."

Elena looked over at the door. And then she looked again. It was Damon.

Elena let out her breath. Caroline was talking about Damon.

"Who is he?" Caroline asked Tyler.

"Stefan's brother. He is a cop in Richmond," Tyler answered dryly.

"Do you see that jacket he is wearing? It's leather," Caroline said excitedly.

"Caroline's got that look again. The hunting look," Tyler said. "Short-Dark-and-Handsome had better be careful."

"He isn't short; he's perfect!" Caroline retorted. Tyler made a face.

Through the chatter, Matt's voice suddenly rang out. "Would you like to dance, Elena?"

Elena looked at Matt. He was looking at her now, at least, his eyes lingering on her lips, her hair. She didn't know how to respond.

"You guys are here," said a voice. It was Stefan. "Are you all having a good time?"

Caroline came up against Stefan. "I didn't know you have a brother, Stefan."

Stefan chucked. "Damon hardly lives here. He is working in Richmond. He is a cop."

Caroline smoothed her hair. "I'm going over to welcome him."

Before Elena could say a word, Caroline was half across the room.

"Your brother is in deep trouble," Tyler sneered. "Caroline always gets what she wants."

Stefan shrugged casually. "I won't worry about Damon. He is perfectly capable of looking after himself."

Elena looked over at Damon's direction. Caroline was speaking to him now, eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed. Elena watched her go for it. They were good friends, had been since she moved to Mystic Falls a year ago, but sometimes Caroline was too impulsive.

Another young beautiful woman with long black hair, brown eyes and a light brown complexion approached Damon from the other direction. Damon turned around and gave her a hug.

Elena felt the smallest shiver of jealousy. Which was ridiculous really, because she hardly knew him.

"Your brother is certainly very popular," Tyler said.

"Thanks to his good looks," Stefan laughed as he tossed the beer down.

"You are quiet tonight." Matt touched Elena's arm gently. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine." Elena forced a smile on her face. "I just need to use the bathroom."

"Walk along the hallway and second on your left," Stefan told her. "You are sure you are okay?" Both Matt and he were looking at her with concern.

"Yeah. I'm good." She turned and walked towards the bathroom.

x x x

Damon took a sip of his bourbon and surveyed the scene. Blondie waved at him from across the room. She was probably dying to talk to him again, but he wasn't interested. He was only interested in Elena. He had seen her walking into the house with blondie earlier and Stefan had greeted them.

Now he had to see her. He kept searching for one dark head. Another girl with short curly hair passed by and flirted with him. He ignored her. He only wanted Elena. But nowhere did he see her.

Then he saw the dark head he had been looking for. She had walked to the backyard. Unmistakable, even in this dim light. A thrill went through him. He tossed his bourbon down and set out toward Elena.

Piece by piece, Damon registered information about her as he approached. Her makeup was light tonight and she wore a sleeveless pink lace dress. She was beautiful. It wasn't just the dress, or the way her hair was done. She was beautiful in herself: slender, imperial and special.

Elena was alone by herself. Seizing the opportunity Damon moved next to her. "We see each other again," he said casually.

She turned to look at him. Oh God! Damon was standing beside her. She didn't tell Caroline that she knew him. Caroline would be furious if she talked to him, would she?

"Uh, hi," she replied, trying to sound equally casual.

He nodded at Caroline inside the house. "Blondie is quite a character, isn't she?"

"Hmm," she said noncommittally.

"She talks more than I can listen. I think she would drive me crazy."

He had his nerve. How dare he gave comments about Caroline like that? He hardly knew her.

"That's rude," she countered. "Caroline is a nice person."

"Well, she's awfully young."

"Not much younger than you are." She answered defensively. "The girl you were talking to just now was young too and you didn't seem to have a problem with it."

"Sarah? Are you talking about Sarah?" He chuckled. "Sarah Salvatore is my Uncle Zach's daughter."

"Oh."

He gave her the benefit of his blue-eyed stare. "Jealous?"

She met his eyes for a moment, found them too dangerous and quickly broke the look. "You are crazy. I'm not jealous."

He kept staring at her. "I thought you care."

"I beg your pardon?" Did she hear it wrong? She wondered why her heart was beating so fast.

Time to change the subject. "Sarah is here to see her parents." He paused for a moment. "I haven't seen her for a very long time. She was still in university when I last met her. She is now working in Texas."

 _"You know how busy the life of a cop can be."_

 _"Damon hardly lives here."_

It must have been a long time since Damon had come home, she thought. "Don't you miss your family?" she asked curiously.

"I do. But that's the life of a cop," he paused before continuing, "you have to make sacrifices when you grow up."

Their eyes met. He held the stare. Those blue eyes darkening, going black with desire. She had the sudden feeling that he might jerk her to him and kiss her hard, without ever saying a word.

She was playing with fire, with something she didn't understand, she thought suddenly. And in that instant she realized that she was frightened. Her heart began to pound violently. It was as if those blue eyes spoke to some part of her that was buried deep beneath the surface-and that part was screaming "danger" at her. Some instinct older than civilization was telling her to run, to flee. But she didn't move.

The same force that was terrifying her was holding her there. This was out of control, she thought suddenly. Whatever was happening here was beyond her understanding; it was nothing normal or sane. But there was no stopping it now, and even while frightened she was revelling in it. It was the most intense moment she had ever experienced with the opposite sex.

"So what's up between Stefan and you?" he asked, throwing her off balance completely.

"What's that mean?"

"You know."

"No, I don't. What?"

Damon wished he hadn't brought the subject up, but there was no stopping now. The words tumbled out. "Stefan and you. Are you two seeing each other?"

Elena frowned. "What did he tell you?"

"Nothing."

"Then nothing," she answered.

He raised his brows. 'What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing means nothing."

"Come on sweetheart. I know my brother is a great catch. Don't tell me you aren't interested," he chided.

She felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "How could you say something like that? He is your brother."

"I'm being honest," he said. "My brother is popular among the girls. I'm sure you are aware of it."

"Stefan is a nice person. Everyone likes him," she retorted.

"You like him too, don't you? Sweetheart."

"Don't call me sweetheart."

"Why?" he teased. "Does it turn you on?"

He was just gazing at her, as if hypnotized, and she was gazing back, while the energy shimmered between them like heat lightning. Once more she looked away by walking away.

For some unknown reason her heart was still pounding violently as she hurried inside.


	3. Chapter 3

_NEW YORK, JUNE 18 2016_

Damon splashed some bourbon into a glass and went to stand at the window of his condo. From where he stood he had a beautiful view of the city of New York.

Stefan had called him first thing in the morning. He had expected a call from his brother. Stefan had been calling him on his birthday for the last ten years. It was like a routine for Stefan.

"Happy birthday, brother." Stefan sounded happy as usual. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"No celebrations," he said sternly. "And no presents."

"Why not? It's your thirty-fifth birthday," Stefan said. "You deserve to have a celebration."

"I'm telling you. I don't want anything," he repeated.

There was a short beat of silence on the other end of the line. "Whatever," Stefan said eventually. "But I need a favour, Damon."

"What favour?"

"Your brother is getting married and I want you to be my best man."

He stiffened. "Elena and you are getting married?" His voice cracked a little.

"Yes," Stefan exclaimed. "We are getting married. Isn't it crazy? We have been together for almost ten years now. You know both Elena and I have busy schedules. It isn't easy for us to plan our wedding. You won't believe how many things you have to do for a wedding…"

Damon wasn't listening anymore. He had wished things could be different between Elena and him in the past ten years. It was not uncommon for him to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about her. Over the years he had grown to accept the fact she was an obsession. Only working made her go away. He worked hard, very hard to make her go away.

Had he made a mistake for walking away?

He let the question simmer while he finished the bourbon. When the glass was empty he went into the kitchen and turned on the oven.

He opened the refrigerator and considered his options. He liked cooking. It relaxed him. But cooking for one was not particularly inspiring. Sharing a meal with another human being on a nightly basis was one of the things he missed most whenever he was between relationships. Okay, he missed the sex, too.

Unfortunately, ever since he left Mystic Falls, he tended to spend a lot of time between relationships—and the few he did manage to fire up never lasted long.

He took out the block of feta cheese, a few green onions, and some green olives and closed the refrigerator door. There was a can of diced tomatoes in the cupboard. He sautéed the onions in a pot and added the tomatoes and some white wine. A little salt and cumin finished it off

While the tomato mixture was heating, he arranged several chunks of the feta cheese in the bottom of a baking dish and sprinkled the olives across the cheese. He poured the tomato sauce over the cheese and olives and stuck the dish into the oven.

He spent the next twenty minutes at his computer, reviewing reports on a drug dealer from his assistant. Then he went back into the kitchen and took a couple of eggs out of the refrigerator. He cracked them, one by one, into the bubbling casserole. He covered the dish with aluminium foil and stuck it back in the oven for another eight minutes.

When the eggs were set, he removed the dish from the oven and put it on the counter to cool. He poured himself a glass of red wine and thought about what he had said to Stefan in the morning.

He had meant it when he told Stefan that he would be his best man. Stefan was his only brother. He would turn up to his wedding, no matter how hard it would be for him. It would hurt like hell but being family meant sticking together no matter what happened. Stefan was his family and he wouldn't let his brother down.

He drank some wine and carried the tomato and feta cheese dish to the kitchen table. He turned on the television news for company and thought about Elena while he ate his solitary dinner.

All of a sudden, his dinner became tasteless.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS, NOVEMBER 5 2005_

"Poor baby, she is cold. Got to get her warmed up," said Kai Parker. Elena tried to push him away, but he was too strong, wrapping her in his arms, pulling her against him.

This was a nightmare, she thought. She usually spent her Saturday afternoon babysitting the ten-year old April Young, reading her short stories and helping her with her homework. It was almost dark when she left April's house this evening. She didn't drive today as she thought it would be a nice evening to walk back home. Never had she thought she would bump into Kai Parker along her way back home.

Kai Parker – the trouble maker of Mystic Falls High School. He was cruel, sadistic and ruthless. Elena didn't like him. He was too full of himself by far.

Kai had asked her out after summer was over but she said no. She wanted him to leave her alone. She had wanted nothing to do with him.

"Let go of me, Kai…"

"Sure, baby," he said. "But we've got to get you warm first. Gosh, you are cold."

"Kai, stop," she said. His arms around her had merely been annoying, restricting, but now with a sense of shock she felt his hands on her body, groping for her breasts.

Never in her life had Elena been in a situation like this, far away from any help. "Kai, take your hands off me."

"Come on Elena, don't be like that, I just want to warm you up all over…..."

"Kai, let go," she choked out. She tried to wrench herself away from him. But he was too strong for her.

And then something picked Kai up and threw him on the ground. She gasped and she saw the person who had plucked Kai off her. Damon Salvatore.

"Obviously you have never learned any manners," said Damon. His voice was soft and cold and light, and somehow it made Elena dizzy. She couldn't take her eyes off him as he moved toward Kai, who was shaking his head dazedly and starting to get up. Damon moved like a dancer, every movement easy and precisely controlled. "I bet your parents would be very upset."

"A gentleman doesn't force his company on anyone," said Damon as he folded his arms across his chest. "He doesn't insult a woman." He went on speaking while maintaining his gaze at Kai. "And, above all, he does not hurt her."

"Who are you!?" Kai shouted at him as he stood up.

"Damon Salvatore," he answered.

"Salvatore? You are related to Stefan Salvatore?" Kai asked. His face darkened and he clenched his hand into a fist. "Trying to be a hero?"

"I'm Stefan's brother. So that's the answer to your first question," Damon said and he took a step closer to Kai. "And the answer to your second question – I'm not a hero but I'm a cop." He pulled his black leather case showing his ID.

Kai swallowed hard and moved back a step. "I did nothing wrong. Get away from me."

Damon ignored him. "Target Elena Gilbert again and you won't be going back to college."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kai said. "Now get away from me."

"Don't pretend you don't understand what I'm talking about," Damon said coldly.

Kai was clearly nervous. "Are you threatening me?"

Elena was afraid. She was frightened of what she was seeing; frightened of what Damon might do. And frightened above all else of Damon's voice, that cold voice that was like a rapier dancing, beautiful and deadly and utterly merciless. "Damon, I'm okay. Just let him go."

Damon continued to stare at Kai. "Now you listen carefully, boy. Do not go near Elena again. If anything happens to her, I will assume you are responsible. Do you understand me?"

For a second or two Kai just stared at Damon as if he had spoken in another language, one that was utterly incomprehensible to him. Elena held her breath. She thought Kai was going to snap into full-blown outrage but he didn't. Instead he just walked away without a backward glance.

Elena realised she was shivering with reaction. Damon turned to look at her. "Is there someone to take you home?" he asked.

"No," she said.

"I will drive you," said Damon.

"Thank you. That would be very kind," she said slowly. There was nothing else to do.

Even through the numbness, Elena felt a quick thrill of fear. She looked at Damon. He had never looked so... so beautiful to her before, but that beauty was almost alien. Not just foreign, but inhuman, because no human could project that aura of power, or of distance.

When he reached the blue Camaro, he opened the door for her to get inside. Then he got in behind the wheel, fired up the ignition and drove away.

"Are you all right?" Damon asked quietly after a brief moment of silence.

"Yes." She took a deep breath.

"It looks like I'm your guardian angel," he sneered.

"Who appointed you as my guardian angel?" Elena asked.

She was pissed—really, really pissed. But she was also thrilled. She was alone with Damon. It should have been the most romantic night of her life—the stuff teen dreams were made of. But Damon had ruined everything by treating her like a kid who didn't know enough to come in out of the rain.

"You should be grateful for what I did," Damon said. He did not take his attention off the road.

"Whether I like it or not. I'm supposed to be grateful?"

"I rescued you just now. You should be thanking me."

Damon's words were infuriating. "I didn't need you to rescue me," she said. "I can take care of myself."

Great. Now she really sounded like a kid.

His brows rose. "Really?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She wanted to grind her teeth.

"You would be eaten alive if I didn't appear," he answered.

Now she was getting mad. "Are you always so full of yourself?"

"You knew what was going to happen if I didn't show up."

She thought about it. She wanted to argue, but he was right. However, she had no intention of admitting that the idea of being alone with Kai had scared the living daylights out of her.

She scrunched lower into the seat. "Alright. I'm sorry. I should thank you."

"What were you doing walking in the dark?" Damon asked. "Where's your car?"

"I work as a babysitter on Saturday afternoon. I thought I would walk home today. April's house is not far away from where I live."

"April Young? Pastor Young's daughter? You are her babysitter?"

"Yes. Why?" she asked. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

He shrugged casually while keeping his grip on the wheel. "Nothing. He is weird. That's all."

"Don't call Mr Young that," she whispered furiously. "That's rude."

"He is not here. He can't hear me."

"You are really annoying, you know."

He ignored that. "Remember to drive next time."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm afraid it isn't over. So be careful when you are alone."

A chill went through Elena. "You think Kai will hurt me?"

Damon did not answer the question, possibly because he was turning the Camaro into the long lane that led to the Gilbert's cosy house. The lights were on inside the bungalow. The SUV was parked in its usual place in the drive.

"Looks like someone is home," Damon said. He brought the Camaro to a halt.

"My mum and Aunt Jenna are back." Elena unfastened her seat belt and popped open the door. "Dad is still in the hospital."

Damon studied the front door. "That's good."

Elena paused halfway out of the front seat. "What's good?"

"You won't be here alone tonight."

She went still. "You are scaring me, Damon."

"Sorry. I'm just being cautious. Nothing is going to happen," he said. "But you shouldn't be alone tonight."

"Geez, Damon. I don't need a babysitter. As a matter of fact, I babysit other people's kids. I'm very popular as a babysitter because I'm so level-headed and responsible and all."

"I know," he said. "Sorry."

"Oh, stop apologizing. It's not your thing."

She jumped out of the car and made to close the door. "No thank you kiss?" he teased.

"I appreciate what you did, Damon." She looked back at him through the open door. "But sorry, no kiss."

He pouted like a little boy and Elena burst out laughing.

"I like you," Damon said, his mouth quirking in a smile. "You know how to laugh."

Elena couldn't breathe. She realised she was staring. Damon was remarkably good-looking. She liked his smile. His eyes weren't light blue as she had originally thought, but an intriguing mixture of pale blue and metallic grey. Those eyes were mesmerising and as if you could look deeper and deeper until you fell into them, and went on falling forever.

"It's rude to stare." His voice was soft with a trace of amusement.

She cleared her throat and tried to keep her voice steady. "Umm…How long will you be around?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Oh." Disappointment dripped from her voice. She might not see him again for a long time.

"I may come back for Christmas." A lazy grin swept over his handsome face and the unexpected glamour of that white smile did treacherous things to her heart rate.

"Okay." She felt a smile tugged at her mouth again. "I might see you on Christmas then."

The front door of the house opened. Miranda appeared.

"You better get going," Damon said, nodding toward Miranda. "Your mum is waiting for you."

She closed the door of the Camaro and went quickly toward the front porch, where Miranda waited.

Damon watched Elena greeted her mum and entered the house. He waited until the door closed behind the pair before he put the Camaro in gear and drove back along the lane.

Twenty minutes later her mum knocked on her bedroom door. Miranda Gilbert was a beautiful woman with shoulder-length almond coloured hair and dark brown eyes like Elena. "Elena, are you ready for dinner?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm ready," Elena answered as she swept her long straight hair up into a careless knot on the top of her head.

"That was a fancy car dropping you off just now," Miranda asked casually.

"That's Damon Salvatore," she answered as she secured the knot on her head with pins.

"Damon Salvatore? Is he related to Stefan?"

She nodded. "Stefan's elder brother. He is a cop in Richmond."

Miranda looked at her. "I didn't realise Stefan has a brother."

"He hardly lives here, spent most of the time in Richmond. He hasn't seen Stefan for more than a year. He has joined the police department after finishing his degree in Washington DC."

Miranda's eyes brightened with interest. "It looks like you know a lot about him."

"Mum, I hardly know him."

"But you like him?"

Elena felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "He treats me like a kid. Probably thinks I'm a boring high school girl."

Miranda touched her face gently. "You are definitely not boring, darling."

She smiled. "Thanks Mum."

"What do you think about him?" Miranda asked gently.

He frightened her but at the same time thrilled her, she thought. "Born to be a cop."

"Protective is good."

"I guess so."

"Does he look as good as Stefan?" Miranda joked.

Elena laughed. "Dad will be jealous if he hears that."

"I won't be jealous of a high-school boy," Grayson Gilbert said from the doorway. "Come on, I'm still pretty confident in my looks these days."

Both women burst out laughing and Grayson walked into the room giving them a hug each.

Miranda and Grayson Gilbert had been married for twenty years. Three years after their wedding, Elena came along followed by her brother Jeremy a year later. Both Jeremy and her had received nothing but their love and devotion – it would be hard to find a more united family. Elena loved her parents and she considered herself very lucky to be their daughter.

Grayson smiled and patted her daughter. "My beautiful daughter is never boring, okay? Any guy going out with you should consider himself very lucky."

Elena hugged her father fiercely. "Thank you, Daddy," she whispered.

"Dinner will get cold soon. We better hurry up," Miranda said.

"I'm starving," Grayson said as he put his arm around his wife's shoulder. "I can eat anything even if it tastes like cardboard."

Miranda punched him playfully. "My cooking skill may not be as good as yours, Mr Gilbert. But trust me, it still tastes better than cardboard."

Elena smiled at the sight of her parents. That's how love should be, she thought.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS NOVEMBER 6 2005_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _It's way past midnight but I couldn't sleep. This evening was crazy. Sitting here in my room now I almost feel like everything that happened a few hours ago was a dream. The bad things were so bad, but the good things were so very, very good._

 _Damon had come to my rescue again. Without his help on Monday, I wouldn't be able to change the tyre._

 _I couldn't imagine what would happen if Damon wasn't here this evening. What would Kai do to hurt me? I shiver at the thought of it._

 _Whenever I'm with Damon, I feel a thrill of excitement. I have never felt anything like this before. He is different from the boys I have known. He can be annoying at times. I cannot remember the last time I had felt anything this powerful._ _What I know for a fact is that there are only two options when it comes to dealing with forces of nature. Either run for shelter or go straight into the storm and to hell with the risks._

 _I'm not about to run. Elena Gilbert doesn't run away._

 _But I know so little about him. What is his favourite colour? What is his favourite movie? What does he like to eat? What does he like to drink? He was drinking bourbon on Stefan's birthday party. Manly men drink bourbon, don't they? I'm not sure, because I haven't met a lot of manly men. Mostly the guys I know are still boys waiting to grow up._

 _Am I an idiot? I think I'm. It is probably not a good idea to get tangled up with Damon Salvatore. He probably thinks I'm only a kid. But the way he looked at me at Stefan's birthday party…it was intense. It looked as if he desired me. I thought I might dissolved in his stare._

 _He is leaving tomorrow. No, today because it is 1.00am now. When will I see him again? Will I ever see him again?_

 _This is crazy. I have already missed him._

 _He said he might be back for Christmas. Christmas sounds like forever now. I hope Christmas will come soon…_

x x x

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS DECEMBER 5 2005_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _For the last month, I haven't really been myself. I haven't been able to think clearly or concentrate on anything but Damon._

 _Time seems to pass very slowly. Another three more weeks to go before it's Christmas. I wonder what is he doing now. What has he been doing in the last one month?_

 _Kai hasn't done anything to me since that evening. Nobody knew about that incident apart from Damon. I try my best to avoid Kai and stay away from him as far as I can. I'm not a kid anymore. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself._

 _I joined Judo classes two days later after Damon left Mystic Falls. Caroline was surprised at my decision. I didn't tell her the reason. My parents are supportive as they always are._

 _I have never felt so miserable in my life. My parents and I went for Christmas shopping the other day. I used to enjoy Christmas shopping with my parents but somehow I didn't like it. There was no excitement. There was no particular joy. Mum thought I was sick and she looked concerned. I felt guilty for lying to her._

 _In a futile effort to stop myself from wallowing in my misery, I had decided to put our Christmas tree up tonight together with Jeremy. When we finished decorating it and were arranging the little nativity scene beneath the tree, Damon came to my mind. How does he celebrate Christmas? It would be so terrible to spend Christmas alone in Richmond. Does he like Christmas's pudding? What kind of Christmas present he would like this year? Does he like decorating Christmas tree like I do?_

 _I sat on the floor beside the tree, my arms wrapped around my knees, staring at the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree until it was almost midnight. A silly thought came to my mind at that time. It would be so nice to help Damon putting up a Christmas tree._

 _I think I'm committing emotional suicide and I don't know how to stop it. It seems like I can't get a handle on this crazy obsession with Damon. I think I'm going crazy._

 _Last night I awoke from a dream and the fabric of my PJs was stuck to my sweat-slicked body. My hair hung in tangles around my tear-dampened face. The night air sent chills over me, despite the fact that my body was so hot, I could almost smell the smoke coming from it._

 _It felt so real. It wasn't a nightmare. It was an exotic dream. It was about Damon._

 _His hands moved expertly over my hot flesh, bring it to life, bring me to life in a way that made me squirm beneath him. I was aching for him._

 _When he circled the aching tip of my breast with his tongue, sending wave after wave of intense longing through me, my heart nearly stopped. The teasing was excruciating. My body throbbed with need._

 _But when I reached for him, I found only air. My eyes flew open and I was awake. I was alone in my bedroom. The bed beside me was empty._

 _It is disgusting, isn't it? Why am I dreaming about Damon? Why am I dreaming about having sex with him?_

 _Am I in love with him? But how could I?_

 _Love. From everything I had seen and read it was a magical feeling._

 _In third grade I had a crush on my English teacher. I was eight years old and ecstatic. He made me so excited whenever I saw him in class._

 _At twelve I had fallen in love with the son of my Dad's colleague who was three years older than me. But he and his family moved to California, so I had soon grown out of that._

 _At thirteen I had my first date. Complete disaster._

 _At fourteen I had my first kiss. Even worse._

 _And Matt Donovan came along. Matt was a good kisser but we had never done it. It didn't feel right to do it with Matt. It had never felt right._

 _Damon. There's that dangerous glitter in his eyes. I can't help but wonder how it will feel to kiss him. I want to kiss him so badly. I want to touch him. I'm such a horrible person, aren't I?_

 _Is this love? Or lust? No, it's physical attraction. The use of correct term is important here._

 _Damon is gorgeous. He looks better than chocolate. There is no doubt about it. But "heartbreaker" is also clearly written all over him, along with "catch me if you can."_

 _Am I up to the challenge?_

 _Can time go faster? I want Christmas to come now._

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS JUNE 22 2016_

"Mystic Falls City Council voted today to increase taxes by five percent for the coming fiscal year. The Mayor argued that…"

"Great," grumbled Elena, "that's just what we need – another drain on the budget." She leaned back comfortably on the sofa, propped up on cushions. She didn't have to work late this evening. She would spend the evening with her brother and Aunt Jenna for dinner and join them on the sofa to watch the late news on television if she finished her work early in the hospital.

"The City Council always have their reasons," Jeremy muttered as he munched on a chocolate bar. "Their reasons."

Aunt Jenna rolled her eyes. "You are right Their reasons. When do they listen to the resident living in Mystic Falls?"

"An armed man's attempt to rob a convenience store in Richmond was thwarted today by the Richmond police. A tactical squad surrounded the building after receiving a call…"

"Higher taxes and crime. What a wonderful note to end the day on," Elena said.

"Welcome to this cruel world, my dear sister," Jeremy chuckled as he finished his chocolate bar.

"Tomorrow's weather…"

"Oh, he's gorgeous, isn't he?" Aunt Jenna gushed.

Elena glanced at the TV screen. The weather report announcer was a young man with sandy hair longer than current styles dictated, but it was trimmed and clean. His eyes were a warm brown and a sprinkling of freckles across his cheeks and nose contributed to his boyish and mischievous appearance.

"Get a grip, Aunt Jenna." Jeremy stood up. "I better get to bed."

"He is gorgeous, isn't he, Elena?" Aunt Jenna asked.

He did look good. But he seemed short compared to Damon, she thought absently. Lack of sex appeal as well. Then she chided herself for the comparison. She was doing it again. Damon had become the standard by which she judged every other man in the past ten years.

"I should go to bed as well." Elena stretched her arms before rising from the sofa. "Good night."

"This bulletin just came in…"

Elena paused and stared fixedly at the TV screen.

"Tonight two doctors were tragically killed in a drive-by shooting near Mystic Falls airport. They were pronounced death at the scene…"

Elena jumped when her telephone rang stridently. She took deep gasping breaths before her trembling hand pressed the answer button. She sank onto the sofa as she raised the phone to her ear. "Yes?" she wheezed.

"Elena?"

"Yes."

"This is Professor Tanner."

"Yes, Professor Tanner."

"Have you heard about the news?"

Her face paled considerably. "Yes?"

"It's Stefan and Luke."

Blood drained from her face, and slowly shaking her head, she choked out. "No."

"Oh, my God!" Aunt Jenna screamed hysterically. "It's Stefan!"

Elena glanced at the TV screen. The photo showed a handsome man with straight, short, dark blonde hair and a heart-warming smile.

"Oh, my god," Jeremy whispered. "It's Stefan."

Elena stared at the photo, mute.

It was Stefan. Stefan was dead.

x x x

 _NEW YORK 23 JUNE 2016 2.00 AM_

"Go to hell, Enzo," Damon growled into the phone. "It's two am in the freaking morning. I had hardly slept the night before."

"Have you heard the news?" Enzo asked.

"I'm not interested in any news. Now leave me alone. You may not need sleep, but I do." Damon sounded groggy and short-tempered.

"Wait, Damon," Enzo almost yelled over the phone. "It's Stefan…"

His eyes flew open and he bolted upright. "What's wrong?"

"You need to calm down, Damon…"

"Just tell me what the hell is going on!" he snarled.

"Stefan's dead."

Oh, God!

"Stefan's what?" Damon choked out.

"Stefan's dead," Enzo said. "Two doctors had just been killed in a drive-by shooting near Mystic Falls airport. Stefan was one of them."


	4. Chapter 4

_MYSTIC FALLS JUNE 25 2016_

The double funeral took place three days later. Elena was saturated with grief over Stefan's death. She had hardly slept or eaten since that grim night when Professor Tanner had relayed the gut-wrenching news of Stefan's death.

A shroud of cold grey clouds covered the late afternoon sky, casting its gloom over the cemetery and adding to its bleak, cheerless look. With Aunt Jenna on one side, and his brother Jeremy on the other, Elena stood stony-eyed and silent as she watched Stefan's coffin lowered into the ground.

Zach Salvatore, his wife and his daughter Sarah stayed with Elena as long as they could. Zach cursed Damon for not being in attendance. But Elena couldn't care less. She felt flat, drained, no emotion left.

She leaned back in the chair, gazing at Stefan's photo. She had fought so hard against believing Stefan would leave her forever. She realised that now she would never see him again. Stefan was really gone.

After her parents died in the accident, she kind of felt like she didn't know how to live anymore, like she didn't want to, but then being with Stefan...it just...somehow she figured it out. And that was what love should be, wasn't it? You should love the person that makes you glad that you are alive.

What should she do now? The man who had made her believed that she was alive had gone. He would never come back anymore.

Jenna, Jeremy and Caroline had been very supportive. She knew she had to be strong. She had to carry on with her life. Yet she felt dead already – beyond feeling, beyond caring. There were things she should be doing, but they seemed unimportant as she sat and stared at the photo.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS DECEMBER 25 2005_

On the morning of Christmas there was thick snow on the ground. Elena stared out her window watching the snowflakes falling. She wondered if Damon had returned to Mystic Falls for Christmas.

A text arrived on her phone while she was helping her mum and Aunt Jenna with the dishes after lunch.

 _Merry Christmas. Wanna play in the snow? I'm at the park near the Town Hall. Damon._

Stunned, she tried to catch back the incredulous laugh that bubbled from her.

"What is it?" Miranda asked.

"Mum, can I use the car?" She dried her hands and slung the damp towel over a rack. "I need to go out."

Miranda raised her brows. "Where are you going? It's snowing outside."

"I'm going over to April's house." She lied. "I won't be out for too long. I promise you." She landed a peck on Miranda's cheek and grabbed the car keys.

The sky was a bright, blinding blue overhead, it was cold but not bitterly so, and the world outside looked like an arctic wonderland.

Elena parked the SUV along the road near the park and climbed out. Closing the door behind her, she pulled on her gloves. She walked towards the park but there was nobody around. Where was Damon? She wondered.

A snowball hit her hard in the shoulder. "What the hell?!"

Then she heard Damon's laughter a few feet behind her. She turned and saw Damon grinning at her.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart!" Damon winked at her. "Do you miss me?"

A snowball hit disrespectfully on his front chest.

"This," Elena informed him, enjoying herself hugely, "was partial payment for smashing snow on my shoulder just now."

Grinning, Damon brushed the snow off his jacket, then advanced on her slowly and purposefully. "That was extremely childish," he chided.

She watched him, backing away, step for step. "Don't try it," she said, choking on a laugh, "I'm warning you…"

Damon lunged, she twisted suddenly, tangling her leg around the back of his knee, jerking hard and up, and the next thing he knew, he was toppling backward in slow motion again, flapping his arms like a wounded goose, trying to regain his balance. He landed flat on his back with an audible thud at her feet while her laughter pealed like bells through the park.

She stood over him, waiting for him to get up, but he continued to lie there, his face strangely thoughtful, his eyes focused on the bright blue sky above her head. "Aren't—aren't you going to get up?" she chortled after a minute.

He turned his head toward her. "What's the point?"

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" she said cautiously.

"My pride is in tatters, Elena."

A sudden memory of his job as a cop flashed through her mind, and she suddenly understood why he was embarrassed. She could tell he wasn't faking it either by the way he was lying there and the strained tone in his voice. "That was stupid of me. Please get up."

He squinted against the sun and said quietly, "Are you going to knock me down again?"

"No, I promise I won't. You're absolutely right, I was being childish." She reached out a hand to help him, bracing herself on the slim off chance that this was a trick and he was going to try to jerk her off her feet, but he took her assistance gratefully.

"I'm too old for this," he complained, rubbing the back of his knee and brushing off snow.

"Look at the snow today," Elena said, anxious to make him forget his embarrassment, pointing to the ground. Giving him a sunny smile, she asked, "How would you feel about helping me to build a snowman?"

"That's fine," he said and to her delighted shock, he reached for her hand and held it like two lovers walking through the snow, holding hands. "What was that you did to me back there?" he asked admiringly. "Was it some sort of karate move, or was it judo? I always mix up the two."

"Judo," she said uneasily.

"Why in hell didn't you pull that on Kai that evening?"

She gave him an embarrassed look. "I only learned Judo recently. Girls have to learn to protect themselves, you know."

"You are right."

They reached the centre of the park and he let go of her hand, looking down at her with an admiring smile. "Do you know any other fancy moves like that?"

Elena knew several more. "No, actually, I don't."

Still smiling down at her, he said very softly and very gently, "Then please permit me teach you another one…" He moved so swiftly that Elena let out a startled screech at the same time she left the ground, propelled backward into a pile of snow with exactly the right of amount of controlled momentum to land her, sitting up, legs sprawled straight out in front of her, unhurt.

She gaped at him, laughing helplessly at her ignominious flight through the air, then she got to her feet. "You are really awful," she chided, pretending to concentrate on brushing the snow off while she tried to think how to get even. She turned away from him for a second, then she turned back and gave him an innocent smile as she walked toward him.

"Had enough?" he countered, grinning, his hands loosely at his sides.

"Yep, you win. I give up."

This time, however, Damon saw the sparkle in those bewitching brown eyes. "Liar," he laughed when she began slowly circling him, looking for a place to aim her body. He turned with her, both of them laughing now—Damon determined not to give her an opening when she charged, Elena knowing exactly how she intended to force him to give her one.

"Time out," she laughed, stopping and pretending to fiddle with the zipper she had pulled down herself a minute ago. "No wonder I'm freezing. This zipper keeps sliding down."

"Here," Damon said with swift courtesy, exactly as Damon had hoped. "Let me try." He pulled off his right glove and looked down at the zipper. The moment his fingers touched the tab, Elena twisted sharply, aimed her shoulder at his chest with all her might and ploughed at him like a football halfback. He moved aside, and Elena's shoulder rammed thin air with so much might that she went ploughing right past him, head down. Propelled by her own force, she charged straight into the snow bank behind him, burying her head in it all the way up to her shoulders.

Trying to breathe, laugh, and dig the snow off her face at the same time, she backed out of the snow bank, turned around, and leaned against it, while his laughing voice remarked, "I've never seen anyone turn their own head into a snow drill before. Interesting demonstration. Do you think we could sell the idea to a manufacturer?"

That did it. With a shriek of laughter, Elena slid down, collapsing at his feet, convulsed with laughter. Trying to catch her breath, she looked up at his grinning face. He was looming over her, his hands on his hips, a picture of vastly amused male superiority. "When you're ready to get down to serious snowman business," he smugly informed her with his chin thrust in the air as he walked off, "you…"

Elena stuck out her foot. He tripped, twisted, and went down like a felled tree. Howling with laughter, she rolled hastily aside, scrambled to her feet, and backed out of his reach. "Pride cometh before a fall…" she reminded him, giggling, backing further away as he got up.

He was smiling, but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes as he slowly, purposefully advanced on her. "That does it!" he said softly. "That does it."

"Don't—don't do anything you'll regret…" she chortled helplessly, holding her hand out as if to fend him off as she backed away faster. He increased his pace dramatically. "Now, Damon…" she laughed shakily. "Don't you dare!" she cried, whirling to bolt away as he lunged. He brought her down with a tackle around her waist before she took the first step, shoving her into the snow beneath his body, then rolling her over onto her back, straddling her at the waist. Grinning at her futile struggles, he pinned her wrists above her head with one hand. "Brat," he said cheerfully and softly, while Elena laughed harder and squirmed and struggled to catch her breath. "Give up?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" she managed brokenly.

Her shoulders shaking with mirth, she closed her eyes and deliberately gave him a childish pucker. He smashed cold, wet snow all over her cheeks while she sputtered and laughed harder, then he got up. "Now," he said, grinning like a satisfied sultan as he held a hand out to help her up, "you're sure you've had enough?"

"Enough," Elena laughed, belatedly noticing how boyishly happy and relaxed he looked after what had been nothing more meaningful than frolicking in the snow. She felt a mixture of tenderness and amazement that something as ordinary as a snow fight evidently gave him so much pleasure. Of course, he had spent Christmas alone by himself all these years. He must have missed spending Christmas here in Mystic Falls.

Damon stepped through the deep snow holding her arm for support, his mind on the project ahead of him. "I assume we can get down to serious snowman business," he announced, standing in front of the ground covered with snow and studying it with his hands on his waist and his back to her, "now that you understand the supreme folly of provoking someone so much larger, stronger, and wiser than yourself. Since I have finally gotten your proper respect, I have some very specific ideas about this project..."

A huge snowball hit him on the back of his head. In the park near the Town Hall of Mystic Falls, laughter rang out often during a long winter afternoon, startling the squirrels who watched from the trees while two humans shattered the peace, cavorting like children in the snow, chasing each other around trees, flinging a barrage of snowballs, and then got down to the business of completing a snowman that, when finished, resembled no other snowman in the annals of recorded history.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS DECEMBER 26 2005_

Something about Elena Gilbert fascinated him.

No, it was more than fascination. Elena Gilbert was beginning to become an obsession with him, almost as much of an obsession as his job.

He conjured up an image of her and felt the instant response of his body. He had to shift his position a bit to ease the sudden tightness in his jeans.

Over the years he had met some beautiful women but none had caused such a powerful reaction in him like Elena.

But why Elena Gilbert?

She was only a high school girl. He, on the other hand, was a mature adult. Although he was only seven years older than she in actual years, he felt he was centuries older than she in experience. Beside her youthful idealism, Damon felt terribly old and jaded.

The fact that he found her incredibly sexy and desirable and the fact that he had an erection at this very moment only made him feel like a dirty, old, disgusting letch.

On the other hand, she had also made him laugh yesterday, and he appreciated that, he decided as he tossed down a swallow of bourbon. He hadn't had a snowball fight since he was a child.

Elena Gilbert somehow made him felt he was not alone.

Firm, straight nose. Assertive chin. High cheek bones. She had a smile that held a warmth of feminine secrets and a hint of mischief.

The only really spectacular thing about her was the colour of her eyes. Damon was deeply intrigued by those eyes.

He had spent a lot of time trying to determine their exact shade.

He had finally settled on the approximate description of hazel. It was tough to come up with a word that covered the curious blend of dark wood or rich soil that characterized Elena's almond-shaped brown eyes. They made him think of some exotic, mysterious feline. Sensual but untameable. She might choose to give herself to a man, but she would never be coerced or taken by him.

Her hair was also fascinating Long, straight, shiny rich brown hair. Damon had been wanting to get his hands into the thick, sweet-smelling stuff for weeks. He envisioned using such a grip to hold her gently captive while he pulled her down onto a carpet of green grass and made love to her until she no longer had the strength to push him away.

Until she no longer had the energy to keep him dangling.

Until she surrendered completely.

He scowled, feeling uneasy about the odd turn of his thoughts. It wasn't like him to think of a woman with such urgency and possessiveness.

The hell with it. He was brooding again.

Damon gave himself a stern mental shake and concentrated on his cooking.

A fire was roaring in the fireplace, the lights on the beams high above were dimmed, and candles were lit on the coffee table, flickering on the crystal wine glasses he had set out beside linen place mats. It might have been the wine glasses and candles that suddenly made Stefan feel as if he was walking into a seduction scene, or perhaps it was the dimmed lights or the soft music playing on the stereo. He headed toward Damon, who was standing in the kitchen, his back to her, taking something out of the broiler. "Are we expecting company?"

Damon turned and looked at him, an inexplicable, lazy smile sweeping over his face. "It's Boxing Day. I thought we could have a nice dinner together, brother. It has been a long time."

Stefan lounged against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest. "It is true. It has been a long time, brother."

Damon walked toward him, a wine glass in each hand. "Have something to drink," he said, thrusting a long-stemmed glass toward Stefan.

Stefan took a sip of his wine. "Great. What are we having for dinner?"

Damon turned to the stove. "Something simple," he said, "There is nothing much in the fridge." Without turning, he said, "Sit down on the sofa. I will bring the food over there."

Stefan nodded and moved to the living room. With Damon following him, carrying plates, he went over to the sofa and sat down at one of the linen place mats Damon had laid on the coffee table in front of the fire. He put down two plates containing a juicy steak and baked potato each.

"Wow!" Stefan's mouth watered as he stared at the thick, juicy sizzling steak. "I'm not much of a cook but you, my brother certainly has the talent."

"Like it?"

"Love it," Stefan answered as he cut the first bite of steak.

"How's school?" Damon asked as he took a sip of his wine before sitting down.

"Great," Stefan answered, his smile bursting like sunshine. "Our football team has played well this season. There is a chance we may go national if we continue to be good next season."

"Sounds like fun," Damon said as he chewed on his steak. Then he noticed the faint scar on Stefan's wrist and asked him how he had gotten it.

"That's a burn," Stefan explained.

"A what?"

"A burn. I was in chemistry class and I got burned by a heated test-tube."

"How did that happen? You don't look like someone that careless."

"No. My classmate."

"A careless boy, I bet."

"No, a girl," Stefan answered, smiling at the memory. "It was my own fault. I wasn't paying attention."

Damon's blue eyes brightened with interest. "You weren't paying attention? What were you thinking at that time? Day dreaming?"

"I…I was distracted," Stefan murmured.

"Distracted." Damon's eyes never left his. "Distracted by this girl."

"She is very smart. Straight A student. She likes science. Chemistry and biology in particular."

Stefan's face glowed when he talked about this girl and Damon was instantly curious about the girl who seemed to mean a lot to his younger brother.

"Smart. Straight A student. Pretty?" Damon asked.

Stefan nodded, his expressive features glowing with delight. "Yes, she is pretty. She is gentle, filled with affection. She is very helpful and easy going too. Everyone in the class likes her."

"But you like her a lot."

Stefan's head snapped back.

Damon laughed softly. "You are in love, brother."

"That's ridiculous," Stefan gasped. "We are classmates."

"What's so ridiculous?" Damon poured the last of the bottle of wine into his glass and tossed it down. "Have you asked her out yet?"

"Well," Stefan said with a hesitant smile. "I don't want to scare her off.

"Girls don't sit around waiting for you, brother. You want to keep her around? See her for lunch, evenings, or invite her to parties. Easy as that."

"Really?" Stefan asked curiously. "So simple?"

"Hmm, hmm."

"But she is different. She is not like other girls," Stefan said, her eyes shining. "She is special. She is a pretty special girl."

x x x

 _NEW YORK JULY 1 2016_

"Listen to me, you hard-headed cowboy, I'm not going to let you cross the line." Alaric watched Damon paced in his office. It worried him that Damon had skated so close to edge in his determined hunt for Stefan's killer. "I understand your frustration."

"Frustration?!" Damon shoved a hand through his hair. He was as tight as Alaric had ever seen him. "I have lost my brother. My brother died."

The news of Stefan's death really hit Damon. Alaric knew it wouldn't be easy for Damon to come to grips with his brother's tragic death.

Except it wasn't tragic. It was a brutal murder. And Damon was going to bring the man behind the shooting to justice.

The information had come back that the drive-by shooting was no random act. Both Stefan and Luke were the intended targets. Rumours had it that both Stefan and Luke had stolen from the mob boss Marko rumoured to control the drug cartels of the entire State of Virginia. But Damon didn't believe the rumours.

"It must be a mistake!" Damon roared. "Stefan would never get involved with the drug dealers. Never!"

"You may not want to believe it," Alaric said. "The police in Richmond had already started an investigation on this case six months ago. This is a big case. Huge. Stefan and Luke embezzled millions from Marko over the last one year. Luke gambled most of it away but Stefan had hidden the money away somewhere."

"I don't' believe you." Damon shook his head in quick, vigorous denial. "Stefan was a good doctor. He was. He would never deal with someone like Marko."

"We also have information provided by the undercover agents proving that the supply of drugs came from Mystic Falls Hospital." Alaric explain, then hesitated a split second, surveying Damon with a considering glance. "Stefan and Luke were the suspects."

"No," Damon choked out.

"Stefan was the head of Emergency Department of Mystic Falls Hospital. Luke was his assistant. They could easily get their hands on the drugs. It is well known there are many cases of doctors illegally selling prescription drugs to dealers and addicts."

Damon wanted to deny it, to argue with him, but Alaric shoved a photo to his face. Damon recognised the faces. A laughing Stefan was drinking beer with Marko. "Yesterday the Richmond police had busted a small-time crack dealer. In an attempt to beat the rap, the doper let drop that he had witnessed Stefan and Marko together. The dealer also confirmed Marko has been getting his supply of drugs from Mystic Falls Hospital in the last one year."

Stefan and Luke were dumb enough to think they could steal from Marko and get away with it. It was a mistake obviously. A deadly mistake.

"You can't turn this into a personal hunt," Alaric said.

"You don't have much of a choice." Damon glared at him. "You have to admit, I'm the logical choice. I know Mystic Falls very well. I grew up there. I know everyone in town. It would be damn easy for me to get close to anyone."

"But…"

"Damon is right." A voice appeared at the doorway. It was Isobel, Alaric's wife and the assistant chief of DEA in New York. "We have to mount this raid on Marko's operation."

Alaric looked at his wife then back to Damon before pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Looks like I don't have much of a choice."

"You will be working deep undercover in Mystic Falls so Marko will not suspect." Isobel went on. "By the way, you know Elena Gilbert right? Your brother's fiancée."

Damon went as still as a sniper waiting to take the shot. "You think she is involved?"

"We don't know. I doubt anybody could be with a man for so long and keep out of his business, but you never know. That's what we want you to figure out."

Nobody was innocent. If Damon had learned one indisputable lesion in the last ten years, it was that.

"Why don't you just haul her in for questioning?"

Isobel paused. "We don't want to expose ourselves yet at this stage. We can't let Marko know DEA is involved."

"If Stefan really took the money, then Elena will be in danger, won't she?" Damon finally said very softly. "Dammit!"

"The PD in Mystic Falls will keep an eye on her," Isobel reassured him. "Only Alaric and I would know you are not just taking an extended bereavement leave."

"Look, Damon," Alaric said. "If you don't feel that you are in a position to take up this undercover, we will find someone else."

"No," Damon said. "You won't find anyone else. I will do it. I have to do it. I have to do it for Stefan and Elena. I'm also doing it for myself."


	5. Chapter 5

_MYSTIC FALLS 2 JULY 2016_

After the funeral the days fell into a dull, grinding, and exhausting routine. Elena went to work every day at the hospital. Keeping herself busy was a way to deal with her grief.

Tonight she had to go to Stefan's house. His house was left unattended since the funeral.

But something was wrong. When she reached for the door, she froze. Finally, she gave the double doors a tentative push. One of the doors swung wide open, revealing nothing but blackness inside.

She stepped into the small hallway. The sound of glass shattering spun her around. Eyes wide she stared at the hallway. "Hello? This is a private property. You better leave now or I will call 911."

For a heart-stopping instant she caught a shadowy movement on the other side. Elena didn't stop to think. She reached for her phone in her bag as she flew down the hall and out to the front door.

"Hello, this is 911. What is the nature of your emergency?"

"There is a burglary here." She wrenched open the door. "This is…ooops!"

"Hello? Hello? Miss, are you alright?"

Stunned by her full-force collision with a wall of muscle coiled to tensile steel, Elena reeled back.

"What the hell…?"

The gruff voice split the darkness as Elena rocked back, almost toppling over. Hard hands grabbed her arms, whether to save her from falling or to keep her from running, she had no idea. She flung her head up, gasped at the sight of the face inches from hers.

"Damon?"

"Miss! Miss!" The operator's voice leaped from the phone. "Can you answer me? Are you in imminent danger?"

Like a fool, she stuttered and sobbed and squeaked out her incredulous relief.

"Damon! Oh God, Damon!"

"Are you okay?"

'Someone broke in," she got out on a shaky breath. "Someone is inside the house."

Damon's head shot up. Eyes narrowed, he peered over her head at the house she had just vacated.

"Get back inside your car," he said tersely. "Lock the door, and wait there until I get back."

Uncurling his hands, he started forward. Alarmed, Elena snatched at the sleeve of his black leather jacket.

"Wait! You can't go in there alone!"

He eased out of her grip. "It's okay. I know what I'm doing. Go inside your car. I will let you know when it is all clear."

His calm instruction almost convinced her that a little breaking and entering wasn't anything to get excited about. The wicked-looking automatic he slid out of a holster at the small of his back convinced her otherwise.

With swift efficiency, he ejected the magazine, checked the load and palmed it back in place. Swallowing, Elena lifted her nervous gaze from the gun to his face.

"Why don't we just call the police?"

"Don't tell me you have forgotten that I'm the police." He cocked the weapon, pulled back the slide and released it with a snap that ricocheted through the stillness.

He strode down the hall and into the living room, flipping on the lights. A frown sliced across his face when he spotted Elena following behind him.

"Didn't I tell you to go inside your car and lock the door?"

"I thought…" she muttered. "That is, I was worried you might need help."

"Help?" He threw a disbelieving glance at the garbage can lid she gripped in her hand. "What the hell did you think you could accomplish with that?"

"Well, I was thinking along the lines of bonking the intruder over the head if he came running out. But I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to do much more than make a racket and scare him off," she admitted, dropping the lid back to the floor.

Damon chucked. "You are right. He is probably scared off now."

"Is he…?" She darted a look at the hallway. "Is he gone?"

"He's gone." Damon slid his Glock back into its holster at the small of his back. "He must have smashed the window to get out because you came in. Did you manage to see his face?"

She shook her head, her nervous gaze still on Stefan's house. The house was in chaos. Books and magazines were scattered across the floor of the living room. The furniture had been overturned. Cushions had been ripped open.

"Someone came here looking for something."

Elena's head jerked up. "What is he looking for?"

He shrugged. "Or he was waiting for you."

She went still. "Waiting? For me?"

Damon steeled himself against the shock that leaped into her eyes. "I'd say it was a distinct possibility."

Every bit of the colour she had recovered drained from her face.

"I could be wrong. Maybe it was just a kid wanting something to pawn." Curling a hand around her upper arm, Damon steered her toward the front door. "Why don't you get back inside your car while I make a phone call to the Sheriff?"

'I…"

"Just go."

His narrow, fiercely intent expression had stopped her from saying further. She had accepted his suggestion without further objection.

Damon took out his phone the moment Elena walked out of the house. "Alaric. Someone else has already been here and gone. Whoever it was tossed the place. Sure. I will take a look around, but the guy who did this job was pretty damn thorough." He surveyed the house and his face was grim. 'Talk to you later."

"Brother, what the heck have you gotten yourself into this time?" Damon murmured as he studied the living room. Had someone been waiting for Elena? His thoughts tumbled chaotically.

He took a fast look around and five minute later he was out of the house.

"Was everything okay?" Elena asked as she got out of her SUV.

"The sheriff is on the way," Damon said as he got into the driver's side of Elena's SUV. "Let's go. I will drive you home and call a cab from your house."

"When did you get back into town?" Elena asked as she climbed inside the SUV and closed the door.

"Tonight."

"Why didn't you call?"

"I was busy." Damon turned the key in the ignition and checked the rear-view mirror.

"Why didn't you turn up?"

"Turn up?" He snapped the car's gearshift into reverse and backed out of the driveway.

"Stefan's funeral."

A short silence fell. Damon turned the wheel and drove out of the driveway.

She did not take her eyes off Damon. "You didn't answer my question."

He gripped the wheel. "I was busy."

"Hah. That's a lame excuse and you know it."

Damon said nothing for a moment. He turned off the main road a short time later and went into the long lane that led to the Gilbert's cosy house.

He brought her compact to a halt in front of the porch.

"Have a good night." He turned off the engine, passed her the keys and unfastened his seatbelt.

Elena watched him expectantly. "So, how long, exactly, do you think you'll stay in town?"

He opened the car door and paused, gazing straight ahead through the windshield. "Not sure."

"Where are you going to stay? You can't stay in your house at the moment. As you can see, things are a mess."

"I will figure it out. "Damon waited a beat. "I will find a motel."

"For how long?" she asked warily.

"Don't worry, Elena, I won't loiter long in the vicinity, if that's what's worrying you." He pushed the door open and got out. "See you later."

Elena got out of her SUV. "Damon?"

"It's late. You better get inside." He closed the door.

She hesitated, trying to resist the impulse that had just struck her. She failed.

"Damon, wait a second."

"What now?"

This was not stupid, she thought. Damon was Stefan's brother. She was Stefan's fiancée. There was nothing wrong if she had to assume responsibility for members of the Salvatore family.

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" she asked before she could give herself any more time to think. "You can find a place tomorrow."

"Don't go overboard with the gracious hospitality routine. I don't mind staying in a motel."

"No." She reached out and touched the sleeve of his leather jacket. "You can have my parents' room. I'll get some blankets and a pillow."

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 10 JANUARY 2006_

 _Dear diary,_

 _Today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say "I'm fine, thank you." "Yes, I feel much better." I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through._

 _The day before yesterday, while Aunt Jenna and I were driving back from the grocery shop, I had such a strange feeling. When we turned onto our street I suddenly thought, "Mum and Dad are waiting for us at home. I bet they will be on the front porch or in the living room looking out the window."_

 _But even when I saw the house and the empty front porch I still felt that way. I ran up the steps and I tried the door and knocked with the knocker. And when Aunt Judith unlocked the door I burst inside and just stood in the hallway listening, expecting to hear Mum coming down the stairs or Dad calling from the den._

 _Just then Aunt Jenna followed behind me and said, "Jeremy, We're home.". And the most horrible feeling I've ever felt in my life came over me. I've never felt so utterly and completely lost._

 _Home. I'm home. Why does that sound like a hell?_

 _I have lived in this house for more than a year. This is my same old bedroom. This is my bed, my chair, my dresser._

 _But right now everything looks strange to me, as if I don't belong here. It's me that's out of place. And the worst thing is that I feel there's somewhere I do belong, but I just can't find it._

For the second day in a row, Elena was coming home from school right after the last bell, and alone. When she reached her house, Aunt Jenna's car was not in the driveway; she must have gone out to the market. The house was still and peaceful as she let herself in.

She was glad for that stillness; she wanted to be alone right now. But, on the other hand, she didn't exactly know what to do with herself.

Misery welled up in Elena again, and she glanced around the kitchen. She couldn't stay here. She made a lightning decision and quietly slipped out the back door as the front door banged shut.

Once off the back porch and into the yard, she hesitated. She didn't want to run into anyone she knew. But where could she go to be alone?

The answer came almost instantly. Of course. She would go see Mum and Dad.

It was a fairly long walk, almost to the edge of town, but over the last one year it had become familiar to Elena. She crossed over Wickery Bridge and climbed up the hill, past the church, then down into the little valley below.

This part of the cemetery was well-kept; it was the old section that was allowed to run slightly wild. Here, the grass was neatly trimmed, and bouquets of flowers made splashes of bright colour. Elena sat down by the big marble headstone with "Gilbert" carved into the front.

"Hi, Mum. Hi, Dad," she whispered. She leaned over to place a white lily blossom she had picked along the way. Then she curled her legs under her and just sat.

She had come here often after the accident. It seemed like it had been a long time since the car crash. But Elena remembered clearly. Now she let her mind leaf back through memories, and the lump in her throat swelled, and the tears came easier. She missed them so much, still. Mother, so young and beautiful, and Father, with a smile that crinkled up his eyes.

She was lucky to have Aunt Jenna, of course. It wasn't every aunt who would be willing to take care of two orphaned nieces.

Where did she belong now? she wondered. The easy answer was, here, in Mystic Falls, where her family was here. But lately the easy answer seemed wrong. Lately she felt there must be something else out there for her, some place she would recognize at once and call home.

A shadow fell over her, and she looked up, startled. For an instant, the figure standing over her was alien, unfamiliar, vaguely menacing. She stared, frozen.

"Elena," said the figure, "are you okay?"

Elena blinked and then laughed shortly. It was Stefan. "What does a person have to do to get a little privacy around here?" she said as he sat down.

"Tell me to go away," suggested Stefan, but Elena just shrugged. Suddenly, she felt glad about that, and grateful to him. If nowhere else, she belonged with the friends who cared about her. She didn't mind if he knew she had been crying, and she accepted the crumpled tissue Stefan offered her and wiped her eyes. The two of them sat together in silence for a little while, watching the wind ruffle the stand of oak trees at the edge of the cemetery.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Stefan said at last, in a soft voice. "That was really terrible."

She drew a breath. "I miss them. I really miss them."

There was a brief silence.

"I miss my parents too," Stefan said eventually. "I will always miss them."

Elena recalled Damon telling her he had lost both his parents. "What happened to them?"

"My mother died when I was only three. She was diagnosed with cancer a year after she gave birth to me." Stefan's mouth tightened. "They tried everything. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But nothing worked."

"I'm sorry."

"I hardly remember how did she look like because I was too young when she passed away. I wish I'd known her."

"And your father?"

Stefan's eyes softened slightly. "My father was always busy with the family business. But after Mum died, Dad had tried very hard to look after Damon and I. It wasn't easy for a man to raise two boys by himself."

"Both Damon and you turn out okay." Elena smiled. "He must be proud of you two."

Stefan looked at her. "Your parents will be proud of you as well, Elena."

A gust of cold wind blew through the cemetery, fanning her hair out and sending dry leaves fluttering on the ground.

"It's dark," said Elena, surprised. "We'd better get started home."

"Sure, let's go," Stefan said as he stood up. He got to his feet and helped her up.

"Good-bye," said Elena softly, facing the headstone.

Silently, they headed up the hill toward the church. With the sun down, the temperature had dropped abruptly, and the wind was rising. Each gust sent whispers through the grass and made the ancient oak trees rattle their dangling leaves.

"You are freezing," Stefan said as he removed his jacket. "Here, put this on."

Reluctant but shivering, Elena took Stefan's jacket and shoved one arm into a jacket sleeve and groped behind her for the other. "Thanks."

"Let's get out of here before the two of us end up with a cold," Stefan said.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Elena opened her mouth. "Where's Damon?"

"He's gone."

"Gone?"

Stefan nodded. "Yes. Gone."

"Where did he go?"

Stefan shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Did he tell you when will he come back?"

He shook his head.

"Oh." She was strangely disappointed.

He gave her an odd look. "You seem to be quite interested in my brother."

Elena felt warmth in her face. She glanced away. "That's nonsense. I'm…I'm not interested in Damon." She lied. She knew she lied.

Ten minutes later they reached the front porch of her house. Aunt Jenna was back as her car was parked in the driveway.

"Thanks for seeing me home," Elena said as she fished her keys out from her bag.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Stefan asked. "Can I persuade you to go for a movie if you have nothing planned yet?"

She blinked. He caught her off guard. "Just the two of us?"

He grinned. "Yes, just the two of us. We can grab a burger at the Grill before the movie if you wish."

She bit her lips, as she hated hurting anyone's feeling, especially Stefan since he had been so nice. "I don't know. I have got a busy week," she demurred.

"Why don't I give you a call on Friday night?" he asked. "You can make up your mind at that time."

"Okay."

She covered the awkward moment by hurrying up the rest of the front steps.

Her hand trembled slightly as she unlocked the door. When she finally got into the house, she turned to look back at Stefan. He was still standing there, watching her. She raised one hand in farewell and then quickly closed the door.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 3 JULY 2016_

All night Elena tossed and turned, pounding her pillow and alternately folding her covers neatly over herself and then kicking them to the foot of the bed. She was annoyed with Damon who made her behaved like a teenager in the throes of her first big infatuation.

The real problem was that Damon looked even better now than he had ten years ago. Nothing had changed except that as if he had been tempered in fire like the steel blade of some ancient sword. Everything about him had gotten harder, stronger, more relentless. The sharp planes and angles of his face had become fierce. Time had added some sleek, solid muscle and endowed him with the confident air of a man who knows what he wants, what he will tolerate and where he draws the line.

The years had given him something else as well—the rare, invisible aura of quiet, inner power that was the hallmark of a man in full control of himself.

There were footsteps in the darkness. Alarm zapped through her. She sat straight up in bed and switched on the light.

"Oh, damn." She shoved aside the covers and hurried toward the door. "What is it? Don't tell me there is a break-in."

She opened the door and peered over the railing. There was a glow coming from the kitchen. Someone was in the kitchen. Who was awake at this hour? She wondered.

She hurried downstairs, crossed the hall, and walked into the kitchen. She stopped when she saw Damon standing in front of the counter with a cup in his hand. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a short-sleeve grey T-shirt. Broad shoulders strained the seams of his T-shirt and his jeans rode low on a washboard-flat belly. He looked strong and very sexy. For a second, she had felt an irrational urge to melt all over him again.

She put the brakes on that thought, fast. What was she thinking? She was Stefan's fiancée.

"What's going on here?" Elena asked softly.

"Couldn't sleep," Damon said. "Came down here to make myself a cup of tea." He held up his cup. "Want some?"

"No, thanks."

"Did I wake you?" He took a sip of his tea.

She shook her head. "I'm still awake." She walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and meditated on the contents for a moment. After a while she removed a bottle of mineral water and opened it. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Not turning up to Stefan's funeral."

"You sure you want to reopen that conversation?"

"I want an answer."

Damon studied her with an unreadable expression as he continued to sip his tea. "Lot of people don't sleep well in a strange environment, you know? Sometimes they just lay there staring at the ceiling and think about things."

"Things?"

"Yeah." He put his cup down on the counter. "Things. You ever do that, Elena? Just lie in bed and think about things?"

She hesitated. "Sometimes."

"I've been doing it a lot lately."

"Is that so?"

Before she realized his intentions, he was only inches away, looming over her, enveloping her in an invisible force field. "Aren't you going to ask me what kind of things I think about?"

"Damon, don't go there…"

"Remember the first time I kissed you?"

How could I forget. She finished the sentence in her head. But this wasn't the right time or place for words like these.

"I'm tired…"

He caught her face between his hands and kissed her before she could finish her sentence. Her ears buzzed from the little bursts of pleasures that exploded inside her. The heat in him seemed to flow out to envelop her as he slowly and intently took command of her lips. She could feel the warmth emanating from the whole length of him. No man could ever generate this level of sensual tension within her except Damon. On that thought her mouth opened under the impact of his and she heard the low groan of desire that came from deep in his chest.

She heard a plop and was vaguely aware that she had dropped the bottle of mineral water on the floor. Water splashed out and her feet were wet. But she didn't care. She moved her fingers to splay them against his chest and she moaned softly.

With a near-violent effort, he tore his mouth free.

"This is not a good idea," he managed.

She didn't seem to hear him at first. Then she froze. He could literally feel the chill that swept through her. He straightened and took a step back.

"You are right." She took a deep breath. "This was a huge mistake. And it was my fault."

"Don't start," he warned.

"I apologize for putting you into such an awkward situation. I shouldn't have let you kissed me and I shouldn't have kissed you back."

"Elena, let me explain…"

She rubbed her temples with her hands "God! What was I thinking? I'm Stefan's fiancée. I shouldn't have kissed you!"

He felt his jaw tensed. "Stefan had got nothing to do with what happened just now."

"I can't believe I lost all control like that!"

She looked so completely disgusted, so flushed and furious and so un-Elena-like that he wanted to bend her back over his arm and kiss her until they both went blind or crazy or both.

"Idiot! I'm such an idiot!" she snapped, brushing her hand impatiently across her eyes. Damn it, she was crying.

"I would suggest you lower your voice unless you want to wake everyone up," he told her quietly. Instinctively he took a step toward her. The tears bothered him. But when she immediately backed away he stopped in annoyance.

"Don't touch me," she ordered shakily, putting out a hand to ward him off. "I don't want you touching me. Again."

That stung.

"Damn it, Elena…"

She had already whirled around and walked out of the kitchen, heading back to the stairs.

"Elena, wait."

He broke through the trance and started after her. He made it to the top of the stairs in time to see her disappear into the shadows of her bedroom.

The door slammed shut just as he reached it. He pushed it open again before she could lock it. She stood her ground, very fierce and proud. And incredibly exciting.

"Go away, Damon."

"You are mad, aren't you?"

"What do you want, Damon? You left ten years ago. No goodbye. Nothing. You just left. You didn't even turn up to your brother's funeral. And suddenly you appeared and talked about our first kiss. As I recall, you didn't want to see me anymore. You didn't want to hear my voice, you didn't want to talk to me, you didn't even want to look at me, and you didn't want to be my friend, remember?"

Outrage sparked through him. ""This is what I get for trying to play the gentleman?"

"Ha! Damon, you are never the gentleman."

"Fine. Next time this happens I won't worry about whether going to bed with you is a good idea."

"Excellent!" Elena shot back.

"Dammit Elena!" He ran his fingers restlessly through his hair and then planted his hands on his hips. "Don't deny you didn't want to kiss me just now. You wanted to kiss me as badly as I wanted to."

She shot him a quick, disgusted look.

"I won't deny that I wanted what happened just now," she said finally. "But I swear it won't happen again."

"Don't swear on it, darling," he snorted. He turned around and walked toward the door. "This isn't finished between us, so I will see you in the morning."

He was astonished by how much control he was forced to summon to resist the temptation to slam the door on the way out of her room.


	6. Chapter 6

_MYSTIC FALLS 13 APRIL 2006_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _This morning is different. I can sense it. Feel it. When I woke up this morning, I felt good. For the first time in the last few months, I feel good. I don't regret the day before it begins. Surprisingly, I welcome the day._

 _Today is the Easter Charity Day at Mystic Falls High School. Caroline and I had been in charge of decorations for the Charity Day and it took both of us almost three and a half weeks to get it organised._

 _I wasn't keen to be involved in the Charity Day initially but Stefan was right. Losing Mum and Dad isn't the end of the world. They would want to see me move on and carry on with my life. I want them to be proud of me. I will turn out to be okay, more than okay even if they aren't around anymore._

 _Speaking of Stefan…_

 _Stefan is a nice person._ _He is compassionate, kind, noble, honourable, intelligent, responsible, and a gentleman. He is definitely the 'Golden Boy' of Mystic Falls High School. He had been very helpful and supportive since I came back to school after my parents died on New Year Day. I'm grateful for what he had done._

 _I like Stefan. As a friend. Caroline told me Stefan and I could have an epic love if I give him a chance._

 _An epic love? Really?_

 _But I will tell you something else._

 _I dreamt about Damon last night. Where is he at the moment? He had just disappeared as if he had never really existed beyond my imagination._

 _This is going to sound completely stupid, but I can't deny the fact I miss him. There were some nights when I would lie there on my bed and replay in vivid detail the time I had spent with him at the park on Christmas Day last year._

"Hurry up!" called Caroline from the doorway of the gym. "We have exactly one hour left before the Charity Day starts."

"On my way!" Elena shouted as she ran quickly toward Caroline, with a box of eggs and bunny ears in her arms.

"Where's Judy?" Caroline glanced around. "She is supposed to help out with the banner."

"I'm sure she is on her way. Calm down, Caroline. Everything will turn out fine. Trust me, okay?"

Caroline gave her a push between the shoulder blade. "You are feisty today."

Elena grinned. "I feel good, which is rare, so I have decided to go with it. Fly free, walk on sunshine, and all that stuff."

"Sorry, I'm late," said a voice behind them, and Judy Fell appeared with some banners in her arms. "I have got all the stuffs. We can hang the banners in the gym."

"Alright. Let's work," Caroline said excitedly.

Elena nodded, looking up and down the big empty room. Every year the Student Council held a Charity Day during Easter as a fund-raiser. Elena had been on the decorating committee since she moved to Mystic Falls, along with Caroline and Judy. Caroline was the chairman and no doubt she was suited to be a chairman because she could make decisions. Elena was glad she was only helping out.

The Charity Day was usually set up in the school gym. And this year, Caroline had decided to decorate the gym with bunny ears and multi-coloured eggs. There was also a bunny balloon arch filled with adorable smiling bunny balloons making every one of all ages super-excited about the coming Easter.

"It's actually looking good here," Judy said happily as she gazed around.

"We need to get this banner up," Caroline said.

"We need more tape." Elena looked at the box on the floor. "I will get some from the boys. They are just down the hall decorating the fund raising stand."

"Hurry up, we are running out of time!" Caroline pushed her toward the door. "We still have to a lot to do."

Elena laughed softly as she stepped outside the gym and walked down the hall. It was going to be a great day, she knew it.

She came to a halt when she approached the student lockers. Her breath caught as she saw the man standing there. Dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and black shirt with matching leather jacket, Damon was overwhelmingly beautiful, heart-stopping—in a very male, unconsciously seductive kind of way.

"Hello, Elena." Elena's body shuddered with an involuntary response as he moved closer to her.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Nobody is supposed to be here except the students."

He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Really?"

She glanced at her watch. "The Charity Day isn't supposed to start until ten. It's only half past nine."

"I'm here to see someone," he said, his voice nonchalant, though his eyes smouldered. Then, in one step he moved closer toward her.

Elena couldn't breathe. He was standing so close. Close enough to touch. She could smell a faint hint of cologne and the leather of his jacket.

"Who?" Her cheeks and throat were flushing, burning with blood. She felt so light-headed.

"Who do you think I'm here to see?" he smirked.

"I'm busy." She took a step back. "If you are looking for somebody, I think you'd better look somewhere else."

"You are angry," he said gravely.

"No, I'm not!" she snapped. She felt foolish in front of him somehow, like a child being humoured by someone much older and more knowledgeable. It made her even angrier. "I have more important things to do than to play games with you."

"You think I'm playing games with you?"

"What do you want, Damon?" she asked angrily. "You left without a word. And out of a sudden, you appear and you expect me to be okay with it?"

"I was working undercover."

She went utterly still, visibly shocked. "Undercover?"

"Yes. Undercover. Things were complicated and dangerous."

"Oh, my God!" she whispered. "Are you okay?"

He smiled faintly. "I survived. It's over now."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked. "I would have understood…"

He brought her whole body against his warm, solid form, and cut off any words she was going to say when his mouth covered hers. He took possession of her lips and speared a hand into her hair. She gasped in surprise, which gave Damon the opportunity to deepen the kiss, tilt her head and explore the recesses of her mouth with his tongue so thoroughly that it took her breath away. Her damn treacherous body took over and responded as if her life depended on it; her arms wrapped around Damon's neck and she surrendered to his embrace. He commanded, and she complied, letting him ravage every one of her senses as she responded to his dominant exploration, and revelled in it.

This is what she had wanted, what she had needed from Damon since she first met him when her tyre was flat. He had never made a move on her, never treated her as anything other than a friend, but she had wanted… this. She had felt the sexual tension between them since the day she had seen him again in Stefan's birthday party. But she wasn't sure if the longing was just coming from her or both of them. Now, she knew the attraction was mutual. The proof was hard and firm against her lower abdomen. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to celebrate or run for the hills. The sensations she experienced from his carnal embrace were new to her, as exhilarating as they were frightening.

In the end, Elena's traitorous body made the decision all by itself. Her female hormones did a victory cheer as she let her fingers slide into the coarse texture of his hair and yanked his mouth harder against her own.

She let her tongue duel with his, gave herself up to the moment. Damon was taboo, her secret fantasy come to life, and she let herself wallow in the passion of the desperate touch of his lips as he conquered her mouth. He brought her body to life for the first time in a very long time, and with far more intensity than she had ever experienced. With Damon, there was no slow burn from his passionate kiss; she felt incinerated, overpowered by his masculinity, the heat between them completely consuming.

Some time later, laughter rang out, and Elena jerked awkwardly out of his arms, whirling around in alarm. Dozens of students were strolling into the hall to attend the Charity Day. "Oh, my God," she whispered. "I need to get the tape for Caroline. She must be getting impatient now."

"Elena, where did you go?" Caroline stalked toward her, her face contorted with annoyance. "We still have to hang the banner…Oh, Damon!" A flirtatious smile appeared on her face as she crossed to Damon. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Damon?" Stefan skidded to a stop in front of them. "Where have you been, brother? I haven't heard from you for a very long time."

"I was busy," Damon replied.

"Why don't we have dinner together?" Caroline suggested. "Just the four of us. It would be fun."

Elena stared at Caroline. She couldn't be serious, could she? "Caroline, maybe Damon isn't staying…"

"Of course I'm staying, Elena. Dinner sounds like a great idea." Damon picked up on the idea. "This Saturday. Seven. Dinner at our place. I will cook."

Elena stared open-mouthed at this announcement, but Caroline clapped her hands in glee. "Oh, Damon, I'm definitely looking forward to dinner this Saturday."

"You girls are lucky as Damon is a great cook," Stefan said with a warm smile.

"I think we should go back to the gym. Come on, Caroline, let's go." Elena dragged an unwilling Caroline to the gym.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Elena asked eventually when they were back in the gym.

"Why not? We all haven't gone out together before and I don't want it to be uncomfortable for us." Caroline winked at her. "Two pair out on a Saturday night coupled. This is a double date. How exciting!"

"Wait a minute!" Elena's eyes widened. "What double date? What are you talking about?"

Caroline giggled. "Stefan and you. Damon and I. Double date. Get it?"

Elena's mouth dropped. "Stefan and I aren't dating."

"Come on, Elena." Caroline settled one hand on her shoulder in sisterly affection. "You know Stefan likes you a lot. Give him a chance. Spend an evening with him."

"But…"

"Give me a chance with Damon, please?" Caroline pleaded.

"Fine. Whatever," Elena murmured.

But deep inside she didn't like where this was going. She didn't like it at all.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 3 JULY 2016_

Elena woke up the next morning to a rumbling stomach and the events of the previous evening – the burglar in Stefan's house and kissing Damon in the kitchen – came flooding back. She sat up in bed and then she smelled the exquisite aromas from downstairs. Her stomach growled. What was Aunt Jenna cooking?

After she hurried through her morning ablutions and left the bathroom, she quickly pulled on a tank top and a pair of jeans and then hurried to the kitchen.

Damon, jeans and T-shirt moulding his fit, muscular body was busy flipping golden brown pancakes when she entered the room. Aunt Jenna was sitting at the kitchen table drinking her cup of coffee.

"Wasn't it sweet of Damon to cook pancakes for us this morning?" cried Aunt Jenna cheerfully.

"Morning," Elena said as she took a seat at the table and sipped at the glass of frosty orange juice, enjoying the caress of the cold, sweet liquid as it slipped down her dry throat.

Damon said nothing. His concentration on removing the pancakes from the griddle and placing them in a neat stack on a plain, navy blue plate.

For a moment, Elena watched him. Was he trying to avoid looking at her? Was he regretting the kiss they had shared earlier?

Damon placed the plates on the table and took a seat across her. Aunt Jenna gazed at the pancakes longingly. "They smell absolutely wonderful."

He gave Aunt Jenna a fleeting smile. "Thanks. I'm glad you like it."

The of three of them ate in silence for a moment. Elena was half-way through her pancakes when he spoke.

"The sheriff called me this morning about the break-in."

Elena looked up quickly. "Was anything missing?"

"I heard about the break-in from Damon this morning." Aunt Jenna turned to face her. "It was lucky you didn't bump into the burglar."

Elena ignored Aunt Jenna. "Was anything taken? What was taken?"

Damon picked up his coffee mug. "As far as the police can tell, nothing much but they didn't hold out much hope of catching the creep."

"That's terrible." Aunt Jenna sighed as she once again turned to Elena. Her look of concern was instantly converted to one of joy as she exclaimed, "But Damon can stay with us as long as he wants, can't he? He is your brother-in-law. You two are family."

Both Damon and Elena stared at each other. Their kiss earlier was still imprinted on their minds. Neither had taken it lightly.

"I have hired someone to clear the mess at the house." He took a sip of the coffee from his mug. "I can stay in the motel in the meantime."

Aunt Jenna grabbed his hand. "You are not going to stay in the motel and that's final." She turned to look at Elena. "Say something, Elena."

Elena looked at him. She hesitated. "You can stay here until the house is cleaned."

"Okay," Damon said much too easily. "But I will move out as soon as the house is cleaned."

Elena frowned, fairly certain she was the reason Damon was reluctant to stay here. He probably hated her. Things were too messy and complicated between them. They had always been. Just like ten years ago.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 15 APRIL 2006_

Stefan snapped the stem off the last spear of asparagus and gestured proudly at the heap on the cutting board. "What do you say, brother? Do I get an A?"

Damon looked up from the salmon fillets he was rubbing with a mix of spices. He glanced at the large pile of asparagus.

"Looks good," Damon said. "Now blot them dry with some paper towels, put them in a bowl, and toss them with a little olive oil and salt and lemon juice."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Stefan held up both hands, palms out. "Easy for you to say. How much oil? How much salt?"

"Just eyeball it."

"No way. I'm not screwing this up and taking the blame for any ensuing disaster."

"Okay, step aside, grasshopper," Damon said. "I will handle the olive oil."

He washed his hands, dried them, and moved to the cutting board. He scooped up the asparagus and dumped it into a bowl. He drizzled the spears with olive oil, added some flaked salt, and squeezed half a lemon over the top.

"Okay, they are all yours," he announced. "Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the spears out on the sheet."

"Then what?"

"Then I will get started on the hollandaise sauce."

"Wow. You are trying to impress the ladies tonight, aren't you?"

"Got a problem with that?"

"No, brother," Stefan said. "Got one more question for you, though."

Damon took the eggs and some butter out of the refrigerator. "What?"

"Does this cooking thing make it easy to meet women?"

"Not that I have noticed."

"Come on, women must find it romantic."

"Sometimes," Damon said. He put the butter into a pan and set it on the stove to melt. "You know what they say; a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I guess it can be applied to women as well."

"You think I need to learn to cook?"

Damon raised his eyebrows. "You want to impress a woman?"

Stefan shrugged. "What if she is sick and can't cook? What if I need to take care of her?"

"You can always hire someone."

"But it won't be the same right?"

"I'm no expert on relationships." Damon sliced open another lemon and squeezed the juice into a measuring cup. "Why don't you stop standing around doing nothing and slice up that loaf of sourdough bread I picked up today."

"Okay." Stefan took the knife and started slicing up the sourdough bread. "What do you think about Caroline?"

"Blondie?" Damon finished separating the third egg. He wiped his hands on the towel. "Pretty girl."

"She is the cheerleader in the school. A very active member of the Student Council and she has been the Chairman for the decorating committee for the Charity Day for the last three years."

"Huh."

"She is the sheriff's daughter."

"She is Liz Forbe's daughter?"

"That's right."

"You know her very well, brother." Damon put the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and a dash of cayenne into the blender and hit the on switch. Very slowly he drizzled in the melted butter. It wasn't the classic way to make hollandaise sauce, but it was practically fool proof.

"We are in the same class since junior high." Stefan started arranging the asparagus in a neat row on the baking sheet. "What do you think about Elena?"

Damon paused for a moment. "Pretty."

"Elena lost both her parents on New Year Day. It was a tragedy for them to die like that."

Damon went still. "Her parents died? What happened?"

Stefan sighed. "Their car went over Wickery Bridge. Drowned. Elena was devastated."

Damon winced at the thought of Elena losing both her parents at the same time. She must have been so heart broken. Life wasn't fair but life had never been fair, hadn't it?

"She looks okay now," Damon said over the roar of the blender.

"She is definitely better in recent days. Caroline and I try to be supportive and help her as much as we can. Initially I was so worried about her. She lost interest in everything. But things are better now," Stefan said, his eyes glowing with delight. "She is now back to her usual self. I was so glad to see her laughing with her friends on Charity Day."

Damon studied him closely. "You like her, didn't you?"

Stefan blushed. "Am I that obvious?"

"Your eyes spark when you talk about Elena. Think there's a future with her?"

"I'm not so sure." Stefan admitted. "She is kind of difficult."

"What do you mean?"

"I have asked her out but she is always busy."

"You think she is not interested?"

"Caroline said I should give her some time since she has just lost her parents."

"She is still grieving." Damon switched off the blender.

"But I won't give up. I want Elena to know that I will always be on her side. When she is no longer mourning and ready to move on, I will be right beside her."

Damon pondered that for a moment. "You are serious about her, aren't you?"

Stefan smiled. "Never been more serious in my life."

The doorbell rang before Damon could say further.

"It must be Elena and Caroline." Stefan wiped his hands on the towel.

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes." Damon checked on the oven. "Get the girls a drink in the meantime, brother."

"Sure."

Damon watched his brother walked out of the kitchen. Stefan was right. Sometimes you just had to reach out and make it happen. Just like the cases he had investigated. You had to get out and find the evidence. The evidence would not come to you.

Maybe, just maybe, it was the same with love.

Two hours later Elena ate the last bite of asparagus and put down her fork with a deep sense of satisfaction.

"That was the best meal I have had in a very long time," she said. "Possibly in forever."

"Fantastic," Caroline declared. "Absolutely incredible. I want the hollandaise recipe."

Damon's face was as unreadable as ever, but Elena was pretty sure she detected a flicker of something that might have been gratification in his usually enigmatic eyes.

Stefan looked at Elena. "Just to be clear, I did the roasted asparagus."

"Really?" Elena looked impressed. "I didn't know you cook too."

Stefan beamed. "I'm not a gourmet chef like Damon but I can find my way around a kitchen."

Damon got to his feet. "I will get the dessert and coffee."

Stefan rose. "I will give you a hand."

"No. You stay with the girls," Damon said. His tone lacked any vestige of emotion. "It won't take too long."

Damon disappeared into the kitchen.

Caroline looked at Stefan across the width of the table.

"Damon is quiet tonight, isn't he?" Caroline whispered.

Stefan frowned, glanced toward the doorway, and then leaned toward the girls and lowered his voice.

"He get like that sometimes," Stefan said. "Maybe he is thinking about a case. He can never let go of a case."

Damon was certainly deep into his own thoughts, Elena mused. But she was not at all certain that he was assessing cases—not just then, at any rate.

"I will get a glass of water from the kitchen," Elena said.

"Let me help you," Stefan said.

"No, it's alright. You stay with Caroline."

She crumpled her napkin on the table, got to her feet, and went into the kitchen. Damon was at the sink, filling the glass coffeepot.

"Hi," she said softly.

"The coffee will be ready in a few minutes." He spoke to her without turning around.

"Thanks for the dinner. It's really delicious," Elena said. "You are a great cook."

Damon poured water into the reservoir of the coffeemaker and stuck the empty pot on the hot plate. He pressed the on button.

"Man's got to have a hobby."

"Right."

Damon turned around and lounged against the edge of the tile counter. He folded his arms. "What's with you and Stefan, anyway?"

She blinked. "What makes you think there's anything between us?"

Damon thought about the way Stefan's eyes got a little warmer and a lot more intense when he looked at Elena.

"I will be the first to admit that I'm not the most sensitive, intuitive, perceptive guy around. But even I could see that every time he looked at you tonight he had the same expression he gets when he had won a football game."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He took a step closer. "He is happy when you are around. Don't you see it?"

Elena looked at him for a few seconds, and then she smiled. "Jealous?"

Damon went very still. "I'm talking about Stefan and you."

She licked her lips and asked the only question that mattered. "Why?"

He frowned. "What?"

"Why did you kiss me the other day?"

"Does there have to be a reason?"

"Yes." She was suddenly, intensely aware of the heavy blanket of sensual awareness that enveloped her. It had settled around her slowly and lightly over the course of the evening, the warm, thick folds practically weightless until now. She wondered if Damon felt anything at all. If he did, he was doing a terrific job of concealing it. "Yes, I think so."

He raised his hands and slowly folded them around the nape of her neck. His palms were warm and heavy against her skin. She could feel the strength in him but sensed the control. The combination was electrifying.

His thumbs moved gently just behind her ears. He eased her head back slightly and lowered his mouth to hers.

"What if there is no reason?" he said against her lips. "I just want to kiss you. Right here. Right now."

Her lips were parted and damp and receptive. He sent his tongue deep into her mouth. Elena had never felt so alive in her life. She was going to go up in flames at any moment. The blood beat heavily in her veins, and the ache in her groin was almost painful.

"Damon? Do you need a hand?"

At the sound of Caroline's voice, they had sprung apart, stunned by what had happened between them.

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Are you two okay? Am I interrupting something?"

Elena drew in a shaky breath. "I'm going to the bathroom," she said. "I will be back in a few minutes."

She turned away and went out of the kitchen, leaving Damon and Caroline standing there, looking at each other.

"Coffee is ready. Why don't you help me to get the coffee, Caroline?" Damon opened the refrigerator. "I will get the dessert."

Caroline's eyes filled with suspicion, but she asked no questions. She already knew she and Damon wouldn't be a good match, no matter how hard she tried.

Later that night Caroline drove Elena back to her house.

"So you're not, like, switching Salvatores, are you?" Caroline said after a while.

"What?"

She sounded a little startled. Thoughtful. As if Caroline had surprised her.

"As your friend who worries for you daily, what is the deal with you and Damon?"

Elena looked out of the window. "There is no deal."

"Wait…It's been a long night, so I'm just going to be blunt. Damon's gotten under your skin."

Elena felt her jaw tensed. "That's not true."

Caroline groaned. "God, just admit it, Elena, okay? You are attracted to him!"

"No."

"Wait, no, you are not attracted to him, or no, you just won't admit it?" Caroline asked.

Elena was silent for a moment. She hesitated. "Did you see…"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You two kissed. Yeah, I saw it."

Elena settled deeper into the seat and looked out of the window.

"I don't know, Caroline. I really don't know."


	7. Chapter 7

_MYSTIC FALLS 4 JULY 2016_

"Where's Aunt Jenna?" Elena asked as she strolled into the kitchen.

Damon was arranging cheese sandwiches on a hot grill. He spoke to her without turning around. "She has gone to Hampton this morning. One of her friends had a nasty fall and ended up in the hospital. Aunt Jenna had to help with the kids."

"When is she coming back?"

He shrugged. "Not sure. But definitely not tonight."

"Oh."

"Why don't you have a shower? Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes." Damon tore lettuce into a bowl. "I only came back half an hour ago. Plus, it looks like Aunt Jenna hasn't gone to the grocery store. So no fancy dinner tonight. I have to make do with what I have."

"Don't apologise. You are a guest; you aren't supposed to be cooking."

"I hope you like Swiss cheese on rye bread." Damon poured a can of mushroom soup into a pot.

"Anything is fine. I would be having chili out of a can if you aren't here."

"Go and have your shower." He added onions sauted in butter and two tablespoons of cooking sherry. Not bad, he thought after he took a sip.

She hurried to the bathroom and had a quick shower. She whipped her sleeveless office dress off over her head and stepped beneath the hot spray. Seizing the shampoo in both hands, she went to work with near-violent determination. It had been a busy day.

When she emerged a short time later she felt infinitely better. She pulled on a T-shirt ad her oldest, most faded pair of jeans. Then she slipped her feet into a pair of sandals. She brushed her hair and piled it on top of her head, securing it with combs.

She took another look in the mirror just before she left the room. _Calm down, Elena. It's only dinner. He is a guest_ , she told herself.

By the time she got downstairs her mouth was watering. "Anything I can do to help?" she asked politely.

"No," he said. "Just take a seat."

"Okay," she answered and sat down at the table.

Damon arranged the sandwiches on two plates and carried the food to the table. He must have just come from the shower himself. His hair was damp, his cheeks and his chin freshly shaved. He had dressed in jeans and a grey checked shirt. He hadn't secured all the buttons, and Elena noted that thick mat of hair on his chest was damp and curled.

 _Stop looking, Elena_ , she told herself. _You are Stefan's fiancée and he is Stefan's brother_. She yanked in her thoughts sharply and cleared her throat. "Thanks for cooking dinner tonight."

"No problem." He settled onto a chair across her. "It's nothing fancy. I'm afraid. Just plan cheese sandwiches and mushroom soup."

"Love it," she said with a smile. She took a sip of the soup. "It's delicious."

Damon gave her a fleeting smile. They ate in silence. As they finished, Elena got to her feet and started clearing the table.

"I will clean up here." Damon picked the plate. "Why don't you have a rest and watch the news?"

"Fair is fair. You made dinner. I will help with the clean-up."

She reached for the bowl at the same moment he did. The brush of his arm against her was slight, yet her muscles jumped like live electrical wires.

Damon looked at her. "You okay?"

"Yes, it's…it's fine," she stammered. What was wrong with her?

"I want to talk to you," he said as he dumped the plates in the sink. His voice was firm and abrupt.

She jerked her head around to find Damon standing only inches away. But he remained expressionless. "What?" she muttered.

"What did the police say about the shooting?"

She swallowed hard. "The shots were intended for Luke. But Stefan was inside the car, so the bullets hit him."

A muscle worked on the side of Damon's jaw. "Who wanted to kill Luke? You have any idea?"

She shook her head. "Luke was a physician working in the ER along with Stefan. He was a nice man. A good doctor. But I have heard that he liked gambling."

"Did he owe people a lot of money? He was shot because he owed someone money?"

Elena's stomach sank. The whole idea of shooting was frightening enough in the abstract. To kill because of money was terrifying.

"That's what the police was thinking," she said shakily.

"Was Stefan close to Luke?"

"They worked together in the ER. I won't say they were close but they did go out together sometimes."

"How well do you know Luke?"

"I met him a few times socially. Luke joined Stefan and I for dinner on some occasions. But I hardly know him personally."

"Did Stefan ever gamble?"

Her eyes widened. "What? Hell, no! Stefan wouldn't gamble."

Damon looked at her. She seemed to be telling the truth. Unless she was the world's greatest actress, the woman in front of her was about as innocent as a new born calf. No way could she be a party to the illegal activity of his brother. Nobody with that much vulnerability in her eyes could be involved in the ugliness of Marko's world. He would be willing to bet that she didn't know what Stefan had been involved with.

He had been on assignments involving beautiful women before. Dozens of them. But this woman in front of her was different. She was Elena Gilbert. She was the woman he had loved ten years ago, and he still loved her. For a minute just now, as her smooth, silky skin had brushed against his arm and the scent of her shampoo and soap had drifted past him, he had to battle a completely irrational desire to do everything he could not to pull her into his arms.

She was the subject of an investigation, he reminded himself sternly. He had a job to do and he couldn't let himself be distracted by a beautiful woman, even if it was Elena Gilbert.

"Damon?"

Her voice drew his attention back to her. "Yes?"

"Is something wrong?" She put one hand on his arms. "Has it got to do with Stefan's death? Tell me. Please."

"No. Nothing is wrong," he said without inflection.

"You are asking a lot of questions about Luke and Stefan," she said. Her eyes were filled with suspicion. "I want to know what's going on."

"There is nothing going on."

Anger flashed through her. 'Don't lie to me, Damon. There must be a reason you turn up in town. Tell me about it."

"This is my hometown. Why can't I be here?" he shot back.

She clenched her fists. "You are hiding something, aren't you? It has something to do with Stefan's death. Am I right?"

He said nothing.

"Damn you, answer me!" she almost shouted.

"I think," he said, "you should have a rest. I will clean the dishes."

In that instant, she wanted to slap him. But she also wanted the truth. She was tired of this game, tired of trying to read Damon Salvatore's mind. It was terrifying and yet a wonderful relief to hear her own voice saying the words she had been thinking so long.

"I know you hate me."

He stared at her. For a moment he couldn't seem to find words. Then he said, "I don't hate you."

"You do," Elena said. "You hate me because Stefan and I were getting married. You hate me because I loved Stefan. And because you hate me you didn't even turn up to Stefan's funeral."

Damon felt his jaw tensed. "Listen, I don't hate you."

"Don't lie to me," she said, her voice shaking. 'I know you do. You left ten years ago without any words. You just walked away from everything! You know what? You never change, Damon. You walk away whenever you feel like it. You don't care what people think or how people feel. You only care about yourself because you are selfish!"

For an instant, pure fury surged in his eyes, a dark wave of menace. Then they went cold. "I had learnt my lesson ten years ago. I care too much. I'm a liability. How ironic is that?"

Elena stared at him, trying to catch her breath. Did she hear wrongly? Damon cared too much?

"If I'm selfish," he continued, "then what about you? You are playing both Stefan and me, Elena."

"No…"whispered Elena, stunned.

"Yes, you are. You were stringing both of us along. You couldn't make a choice because you didn't want to lose either of us," he said brutally. "You have not changed either, Elena. You are still the scared little girl who is afraid to admit what she wants and how she feels."

Elena raised her hand and slapped him.

She had no thought of doing it before she did it, and afterward she could scarcely believe what she had done. But it was a good hard slap, with the full force of her body behind it, and it snapped Damon's head to one side. Her hand stung. She stood, trying to calm her breath, and watched him.

He turned his head slowly back to look at her. "You are right. I want to hate you. I should hate you. But dammit, I just can't," Damon said coarsely, hating himself for still not being able to look at her and conjure up the hatred he should have for the woman who had left him desolate and heartbroken for over ten years, making everything he had felt—and still felt—seem like one big joke…at his expense. "When I left ten years ago, I told myself I didn't want you anymore. I didn't love you and I didn't want to see you anymore. But it's too damn hard," he growled. "I was completely obsessed with you and so out of control in the last ten years that I had to keep on working hard to keep you out of my mind. That is how much control you have over me."

She had only time enough to recognize the frustration in him before she was swept against his chest in a sudden, savage embrace. "Was everything between us ever real?" he rasped, pissed that he had ever been such a sucker for her beautiful eyes and sweet demeanour.

Elena stared fiercely into his eyes. "We are messy and complicated. But we are real."

Damon stared back, losing himself in the depths of a pair of shimmering brown eyes that had never failed to mesmerize him. Always had. And at that moment, just for a brief period of time, he wanted so damn badly to believe her. Because right now…nothing made sense. All he could see was Elena's fiery eyes and tempting lips, and kissing her seemed like something he had to do, he needed to do, and to hell with everything else.

"Lie to me about anything else," he said against her mouth. "Don't lie to me about this."

"I'm not. I won't."

She never got to finish the sentence. It was cut off as he covered her mouth with his, sipping from her like a man dying of thirst. She opened to him immediately, like a flower that had just been waiting to fully bloom. Damon allowed himself to indulge. Her taste, her smell, her response—everything about her enchanted him, and he couldn't get enough. God help him, but he was completely lost.

He was going to make love to her tonight Elena knew it now as surely as she knew the sun would rise tomorrow. There was nothing she could do to stop him and, heaven help her, nothing she wanted to do to stop him.

The night was alive and so was she. Then she realized that her feet no longer touched the floor. Damon had picked her up in his arms. A shiver went through her.

He paused briefly to switch off the lights. Then he carried her out of the kitchen, up the stairs and into his bedroom. There he lowered her slowly to the ground, their bodies sliding together until she found her footing. His expression was volatile, his eyes dark with hunger and desire as his mouth came down on hers. The raw need ripped through her and she tightened her arms around his neck as he plundered her mouth, pulling the combs from her hair and burying his fingers, pulling her mouth tighter against his.

Be in the moment, Elena thought.

She could do this. In any event, she did not have time to dwell on the future, because Damon was already undressing her. He tugged her T-shirt off over her head and unfastened the clasps of her bra.

"Oh, Damon." She sighed, lifting her arms to circle his neck. "I don't understand you. Not completely. But tonight…"

"Tonight doesn't need words," he muttered thickly against her mouth. "Just let me touch you, honey. I want to touch you. I'm aching for you!"

His palm moved up from her stomach and shaped her breast. Elena heard his indrawn breath of satisfaction as the nipple beneath his hand instantly began to tighten.

Damon's touch had always made her feel vulnerable. And there was no denying that her body was reacting fiercely to his love-making. Her breasts felt swollen and taut as he moved his palm slowly across the tips. A slow tendril of desire was uncurling deep in her loins.

"You feel so good," he breathed, burying his lips against her throat. "I should have thrown you in my bed that night when we kissed in the kitchen and never let you leave."

She shuddered beneath the impact of his words and her body curved invitingly toward him. She struggled with the buttons of his shirt, inhaling his scent as she worked. He smelled good, indescribably sexy and thrillingly male. A strange, light-headed euphoria infused her senses.

His hands moved from her breasts down to her waist. He started to unfasten her jeans.

That was all it took to dampen her panties. She couldn't believe it. They hadn't even made it as far as the bed, but she was already soaking wet. It would have been embarrassing if she hadn't been too hot to worry about it. Later, maybe.

She fought through the last of the buttons on his shirt. He shrugged out of it and then yanked off the grey checked shirt. With a soft sigh of delight, she flattened her palms on his bare chest. He sucked in his breath. She felt the hard, contoured muscles beneath his warm skin grow even more taut.

He got the front of her jeans open and shoved them down over her hips. She stepped out of her shoes and then out of her pants, nearly losing her balance in the process. Damon wrapped one arm around her waist to steady her and moved his free hand between her legs. He cupped her, feeling her through the silky fabric of her panties.

"You want me, Elena, don't you? Tell me that you want me!" He slipped his hand inside her panties. She was flooding now.

"Oh, yes, Damon. So much." She gasped for breath. She had never responded like this. She wanted to get closer, wanted to sink into him.

He wrapped both hands around her waist and lifted her off her feet. He carried her the short distance to the bed and set her back down on her feet.

He hauled aside the quilt and top sheet, picked her up again and settled her lightly in the centre of the bed.

He straightened and stripped off his trousers and briefs. His hands were quick and ruthlessly efficient. Then he crossed the room to the chest of drawers. She heard him unzip his overnight kit. When he returned to the bed, she caught a glimpse of a small foil packet.

He sheathed himself and came down onto the bed beside her. He gathered her close and kissed her until she forgot about everything. His erection pressed firmly against her thigh. She knew that he was ready. She reached down, took him in her hand and tried to guide him to the hot, wet place between her legs.

"Not yet," he said.

He caught her wrists in one hand and anchored them above her head. Then he leaned over her, gently forcing her onto her back. He took one of her nipples into his mouth. He tugged just enough to make her catch her breath.

At the same time he moved his hand back down to the scorching hot place between her legs and stroked slowly. Her hips began to move in response. He eased two fingers inside her and used his thumb on her clitoris.

A rising tide of urgency flashed through her. She gasped, startled by the reaction of her own body. He made a husky sound that was halfway between a growl and a groan, and slowly withdrew his fingers.

She clenched herself ever tighter. The tension built deep within her. He eased his fingers back into her and pressed upward. She started to pant.

"You are going to drive me crazy," he said.

The tension was unbearable. She could not stand it. She knew she was on the release came out of nowhere, sweeping through her in a series of convulsive little waves. She wanted to laugh or cry or scream, but she could not catch her breath. The pleasure made her giddy and reckless and euphoric.

She was savouring the delight, glorying in the remarkable powers of her own body, when Damon changed position. He released her wrists and moved between her legs.

He thrust into her, hard and deep. She had never felt so full, so tight and so incredibly sensitive. Dazzled, all she could do was grab him and hang on for dear life. Beneath her clutching fingers, his back was damp with sweat.

He drove into her again and again. Another series of waves crashed through her. A moment later he went rigid, back arched, and then his own climax slammed through him, pounding into her. He gave an exultant, half-choked shout.

They hung there together as if suspended over a vast darkness.

And then Damon collapsed, sprawling heavily on top of her.

She did not doze, but she was vaguely aware of a sense of detachment from time and reality. It was a pleasant interlude that she knew would not last forever. Nevertheless, she was reluctant to emerge from it.

Eventually Damon eased himself out of her and flopped onto his back. He lay still.

She opened her eyes partway and studied him in the shadows. She raised her head for a better look. Her glance fell on the photo frame on the side table. Her parents were smiling. They looked so happy together. They were a loving couple. They were always there for each other and they had been faithful to each other…

"Oh my God!" she sat up quickly.

"Huh?" He looked at her with half-closed eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Oh my God!" She shoved aside the quilt and scrambled off the bed. "What the hell am I doing?"

"What are you doing?" he sat up slowly, frowning in bewilderment as he watched her frantically searching for her clothes.

"I shouldn't be here." She stepped into her panties and looked around for her bra. "I shouldn't be here at all." She found her T-shirt and quickly put it on. "Where's my bra and jeans?"

"You want to tell me what's wrong, Elena?" Damon thrust aside the quilt and rolled out of bed.

For a second she couldn't breathe. A sick, panicky feeling welled up inside her. "This is a mistake."

His eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"This." She swept out a hand to indicate the searing passion that had happened a few moments ago. "What just happened between us. It should have never happened."

He flinched. "You have had your wicked way with me, and now you are trying to leave as quickly as you can. Some dumb excuse about a mistake, I think. I will bet you are going to tell me to forget about this, aren't you?"

"Damn it, Damon…"

"What the hell am I supposed to think?"

"I'm Stefan's fiancée. Stefan just died recently…" She broke off because her voice was threatening to get lost in a squeaky soprano. She swallowed and tried again. "He died less than two weeks ago and now I'm in bed with another man. No, that's not right. I'm in bed with his brother."

He looked at her for a long time. The room was dim, the only light coming from a small table lamp on the side table but he could still see her expression.

Did she regret what happened? Was she upset that she had just slept with her fiancée's brother? So upset that she had to leave him quickly and forget their cataclysmic joining had ever happened?

As he watched continued to watch her, something came over him. He expected it to be defeat, agony, betrayal, or heartache, but it wasn't.

Rage. Rage and more rage.

He clenched his fist. "So you are going to tell me to forget about what had happened just now?"

"It's a mistake. It shouldn't have happened." She retrieved her jeans and sandals and moved to the door.

Damon's voice stopped her cold just as she was about to twist the knob.

"Why can't you admit what you want and how you feel? Why? Is it impossible for you to admit you have feelings for me?"

Tears choked her, jamming the back of her throat. "I'm…I'm sorry."

She exited the room, closing the door softly behind her.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 5 JULY 2016_

It was dark when Elena left Mystic Falls Hospital. She had decided to work late tonight as she was afraid she would see Damon if she was home early. Everything and nothing had changed as a result of her sleeping with Damon. It didn't alter the fact that she was still Stefan's fiancée. She knew she had hurt Damon again. Damon had said he cared. Maybe it was true, but it was still wrong.

She was almost near her SUV when she heard the footsteps behind her. Lost in thought, her spirits low, she wasn't very aware of her surroundings. That was a mistake that Elena usually didn't make.

Two men approached quickly, one on each side. Her arms were seized and she was being dragged along the sidewalk before she even realized what had happened. She struggled, kicking out at the brutal men who were hauling her forcefully forward, trying to wrench her arms from their grips. With startled horror, she realized that they were pushing her toward a dark vehicle at the curb, the back door open, ready to claim her.

She screamed without pause, trying to make her voice carry to anyone who was in the area, as she kicked out, trying to hit vulnerable places on the two hulking males.

"Quiet or you die now." A menacing, foreboding voice grunted as her foot connected with his kneecap, an action that earned her a punch to the face.

Momentarily stunned from the powerful blow, she faltered as they shoved her forward.

As the men hefted her body to toss her into the car, she raised her legs and planted her feet, one on the door, the other on the body of the car next to the open entrance.

"I warned you, bitch. Stop fighting."

Her feet slipped, sliding lower as one of the men grabbed her by the hair and started slamming her head against the metal top of the open door. She could hear the horrific sound of her skull cracking against steel and her head swam, her vision starting to blur.

She was still screaming, but the sound weakened as the men continued their ruthless attempt to render her unconscious.

"Let her go!" Another male voice sounded, one that she recognized.

A muscular arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her away from the two thugs. She was quickly jerked back against a hard chest, her head spinning like she was on a tilt-a-whirl. Looking up, her vision spinning, she could make out Damon's furious face as he lowered her gently to the sidewalk and sprinted back to the car.

Panic rose as she realized that Damon was going to take on the two men by himself. Amazingly, the men looked unsure of what to do. Damon was slightly larger, but there were two of them.

She couldn't let Damon get killed after he had saved her life. Elena came to her knees, trying desperately to fight her obscured vision. Unable to stand, she started to crawl just as Damon engaged the first man, landing punishing blows to his face.

Pounding feet approached, hitting the pavement beside her. Two security guards she didn't recognize entered the fray.

"Don't hurt Damon," she whimpered, afraid they might injure Damon in the confusion.

One bad guy was on his stomach on the sidewalk, with one of the security guards that had entered the fray on top of him. The other bad guy was scrambling into the driver's seat of the car, a gun waving wildly at Damon and her other rescuer.

"No. No." Tears were flowing down her cheeks, her heart slamming against her chest as she silently pleaded with Damon and the security guards not to provoke the junkie with the gun.

Damon lunged, but the man had already hit the gas and the dark vehicle sped into the night, the door yanking closed as he flew down the street, disappearing almost as fast as she could blink.

Her terrified eyes raking over the scene, she saw that the two security guards and Damon were unharmed, though Damon was releasing a stream of obscenities as he raced to her side.

"Elena! Are you okay? Your head is pouring blood. What were you doing?" Damon gently lowered her to the sidewalk to rest on her back. He continued to whisper soothing words as he pushed her hair from her face.

"Wanted to help you," she rasped, her throat dry.

"Crazy woman." Damon shook his head, but his voice was light and sweet. Then, in a harsh, booming voice he ordered, "Get help. Now. She's hurt."

Darkness started to encroach on her vision and she struggled, determined not to lose consciousness. "I'm sorry…" Her voice trailed off, her mouth so dry that her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth. Her eyelids fluttered. She tried to focus on Damon, but he became just a large, unfocused blur.

She sighed as Damon clasped her hand and grumbled. "Stay with me, Elena. You are going to be okay. You are going to be okay, baby."

She gave his hand a feeble squeeze as a humming noise started in her head. It grew louder, so loud that she could barely make out the sound of approaching paramedics.

"Elena. Are you still with me?" Damon's voice sounded panicked and desperate. And distant.

A blanket of darkness completely consumed her as the low-pitched droning sound in her head reached the very top of its crescendo.

"Damon." She whispered his name, not knowing if it was even audible, as she slid into complete darkness and blessed silence.


	8. Chapter 8

_MYSTIC FALLS 17 APRIL 2006_

Elena opened the door of her house very early the following morning and was confronted by watery sunshine.

She pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head and went briskly down the steps. It was a beautiful day to jog.

She used to jog with her father on Sunday morning. They would jog and chat at the same time. She still went for jogging every Sunday morning after the accident. She missed them so much, still. Mother, so young and beautiful, and Father, with a smile that crinkled up his eyes

A smile which warmed her heart. A smile which made her pulse raced and her knees weak. Strange. It wasn't her father's face her mind conjured up. It was Damon.

Damon. Her heart thudded once, hard. What did she really feel for this stranger, this Damon Salvatore? She knew nothing about him, yes, and that made him different, interesting. Damon was exotic... exciting.

Funny, that was what Caroline had sometimes told Elena about falling in love. When you were in love, you would get nervous before going out with that person, your palms would sweaty and your stomach would be full of butterflies. Elena had always found Caroline's description amusing. No boy she had ever met in her life had made her nervous.

But whenever Damon was around, her pulse would race and her knees felt weak. Her palms had been wet. And there hadn't been butterflies in her stomach-there had been bats.

She was interested in the guy because he made her feel nervous? Not a very good reason, Elena, she told herself. In fact, a very bad reason.

She ran a little faster.

She jumped in surprised when the rhythmic thud of running shoes coming up behind her.

"You should concentrate when you jog."

She came to a halt on the path and turned around. It was Damon. His impressive physique sheathed in a blue T-shirt and a pair of running shorts, pulled up alongside. Perspiration beaded his brow and soaked his T-shirt.

He slowed to a walk. "You don't want to fall flat on your face," he said teasingly.

"I…I…uh." Why was she stammering like a blithering idiot?

He grinned. "I almost ran over you because you weren't paying attention."

Elena gritted her teeth and started moving again. "Go ahead. Don't let me stop you."

"No, no. I was almost finished, anyway." Damon wiped his brow on the back of his arm. "Actually, this is good timing."

Elena raised her brows. "Good timing?"

"Breakfast. Want to join me? Mystic Grill serves the best corn bread and coffee. I'm sure you are aware of it."

She pondered that for a few seconds. Then she shrugged. "Okay, coffee sounds great."

They took the footpath into the town centre of Mystic Falls. Damon ushered Elena through the double doors and into the cosy warmth of Mystic Grill. Hardwood floors gleamed in the light. Two college-aged waiters in white aprons and black trousers circulated among the small crowd.

She recognized several of the people. They nodded to her when she and Damon followed the hostess to a table in the corner.

He sat down across from Elena and opened his menu. "What have you been up to during your Easter holiday?"

She shrugged. "Nothing much. Babysitting for April. Reading."

"Do you ever have fun, Elena?"

She glanced up at him, startled. "Well, yes, of course."

"Okay."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She arched one brow. "You sound like I'm a boring person."

"Well, you are not the worst company in the world, Elena. But I think you could have more fun in your life."

She sighed. "I used to be more fun."

He smiled slowly, deliberately. "You can do better. I know it."

"Oh, yeah, right." She smiled.

He grinned and leaned across the table. "I will show you."

"How?"

"The Decade Dance."

"The Decade Dance?"

"Yes. This is a yearly event organised by the Founding Families. Uncle Zach has forced me to turn up to this event this year because I happen to be in town. I need a date tonight. Are you free?"

She searched his face with an unreadable expression. "You are asking me to be your date?"

"Yes. I'm asking you to be my date." He lifted his brow, giving her an inquiring look. "You look surprised."

"A little." That was an understatement. She was very surprised Damon had asked her to attend the Decade Dance as his date.

"Do you want to come with me or not?"

"I will think about it."

"Think fast. I promise we will stay only as long as you want." He had to give her choices. If he had his way, they would stay until the dance closed up. "I'm going to drive back to Richmond tomorrow morning so I can't stay too long. Have to get back to work on Wednesday."

"Hmm."

"What does that mean?"

She shrugged. "You are trying to prove I'm actually capable of having fun, aren't you? It wasn't a real romantic invitation, was it?"

"Do you always talk like this when someone ask you out on a date?" he asked.

"I'm just trying to figure out why you are asking me to be your date," she shot back.

"You think too much, Elena. Just say yes or no."

She bit her lips. She was suddenly a little breathless. Her pulse was kicking up again. There was certainly risk here, but at the moment she could not find a reason to care about the potential downside.

"Are you absolutely sure you want me to go to the Decade Dance as your date?" she asked softly.

He grinned again. "Absolutely."

She smiled. "Okay, I will go to the dance."

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 6 JULY 2016_

Elena opened her eyes slowly, blinking several times to clear her blurred vision, and feeling like her head was in a vice. Temporarily disoriented, she lifted her hand to her head, poking at it experimentally only to feel her forehead wrapped with gauze. What the hell?

Her memory returned slowly, trickling back in bits and pieces. The attack. Damon and two security guards saving her life.

She remembered waking briefly several times in the Emergency Room, Damon right next to her holding her hand, murmuring encouraging words while she...oh God...had she really thrown up all over him?

Right after the attack, everything had been so intense: the dizziness, the nausea, the blurred vision, the desire to escape back into the darkness and blissful relief of sleep.

Her surroundings were dim, the only light illuminating what appeared to be a hospital room a small square and narrow overhead light near the door.

Her eyes scanned the room. It was set up for double occupancy, but the bed beside her was empty and completely undisturbed.

Compared to the way she had felt in the Emergency Room, the headache she was experiencing seemed like a major improvement. Her stomach was slightly queasy and she obviously had suffered an open wound to her forehead, but she was still alive. She sucked in a deep, tremulous breath, releasing it slowly as a wave of adrenaline washed over her body, experiencing some delayed anxiety from the experience that had happened...uh...when?

Squinting at the clock, she could see that it was nine a.m. Ten hours had passed since the terrifying experience that had left her alone in a hospital room.

She flinched as she moved her left arm, stretching the tubing of the I.V. that was inserted in the back of her hand, causing stress at the insertion site. Damn, that hurt. Replacing the limb to its former position, she attempted to cautiously stretch her other arm, finding it trapped, encapsulated inside of a large, strong, warm prison.

"Damon," she whispered softly, suddenly realizing that she wasn't alone, her eyes landing on the place where their skin touched, finding his fingers entwined with hers, his head resting next to their joined hands, his eyes closed.

Her heart contracted as her gaze swept over him, taking in every feature of his beloved, handsome face. She drank in the sight of him, feeling as if it had been forever since she had seen that handsome face. Even in sleep, he looked tense and fierce, the lock of wayward hair that slithered over his forehead the only thing that softened his appearance in slumber.

Slowly disentangling their entwined fingers, she stroked his hair back, enjoying the texture of the thick, dishevelled strands between her fingers.

Had he been here all night? Had he ever left the hospital?

He was dressed in a pair of light blue hospital scrubs, a sure sign that her memory of tossing her cookies down the front of his black leather jacket was probably accurate.

"Elena!" Damon shot up into a sitting position, his hand reaching reflexively for hers, twining their fingers back together. He was instantly awake, his eyes jerking to her face, scanning it with obvious uneasiness. "You are awake."

Her throat was dry, her tongue felt like it was swollen enough to take up the entire space of her oral cavity. She reached for a cup of water from the bedside table. Damon sprang from his chair, reaching it first, unwrapping a straw and placing it into the plastic cup, before directing it to her mouth. She took slow sips, her hand covering his as she let the moisture slide over her tongue. "Where am I?" she asked quietly, licking the moisture from her lips.

He told her what hospital was she in and explained that her CT scan was normal, but they were keeping her overnight for observation. "You have several stitches from a cut on your forehead. From what the doctor told me, you are damn lucky they didn't crack your skull."

"I have a hard head," she answered lightly, remembering the force of the blows, amazed that she had suffered nothing more than a few stitches and a hammering headache.

"It's not funny. You could have died, Elena." Damon's was voice was rough and slightly irritated.

"I'm okay." She gave him a fleeting smile. "You saved my life, Damon. Thank you," she murmured, silently thanking Damon for being there, for getting to her before those men had gotten her into the car. "I would be dead if you hadn't."

It was his fault, Damon told himself. He should have kept an eye on her. Marko had obviously tracked Elena down. If Stefan had taken the money, Marko would probably think Elena knew about the money.

"Damon?"

Damon jumped. Her gentle shake on his arm yanked him out of his thoughts.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine." He took the glass and set it down on the bedside table. "Do you remember what happened?"

Elena shook her head. "I don't know who they are or what they want. These guys were quick. It all happened in seconds." Even though it seemed like hours. "Did the police manage to find them?"

"Not yet but they are working on it." He squeezed her hand. "All you need to do now is to rest. You are coming home with me tomorrow. And I'm going to keep an eye on you twenty four hours/seven. Even Aunt Jenna agrees with this." He sat back down in the chair without releasing his powerful grip on her hand or his intense, relentless stare.

"Aunt Jenna was here?" she asked curiously, wondering how her aunt even knew that she had been injured.

"She just left an hour or two ago. I called her. She was here last night. You don't remember?"

She shook her head. "Everything that happened after the actual attack is just snippets of memory. Did I really vomit on you?"

"You remember that?" He searched her face, looking for something, as though he were trying to figure out what she did and didn't remember. "The nurse found me a pair of scrubs and a shower after you got settled in a room."

"Oh God. I'm sorry." Was there anything more mortifying than puking all over a man like Damon Salvatore?

"Why? You didn't do it on purpose. And I was actually relieved that you were awake."

Elena found it pretty damn amazing that a man had actually stood beside her, holding an emesis basin while she heaved, without being completely grossed out. "Did you call Jeremy?"

"No. Maybe you can call him later."

"Thank you," she breathed wistfully, wincing as the squeezing sensation in her head increased in intensity, beginning to feel as if she had a huge boa constrictor wrapped around her head.

Damon frowned. "You want some pain medication? I can call the nurse." He reached for the call button.

"No. Wait." She took a deep breath, knowing she had to set Damon straight. Looking after by him twenty four/seven wasn't an option. "You don't have to keep an eye on me. I'll be fine. Since the police are involved now, the guys are probably running scared. I doubt they will come after me."

His body tensed, the pressure on her hand increasing as his fingers clenched and released, shooting her a dangerous glance. "The matter isn't up for debate. You aren't going anywhere without me," he answered with a growl.

She released a frustrated breath. "You aren't my keeper. I don't need one. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself." Spending any more time with Damon was dangerous.

"Yeah...well...get used to having company, sweetheart," he snorted, his eyes gleaming with possession, his expression raw and feral. "As long as you are in danger, I won't be very far away. And you won't be without protection."

She shuddered, trying to pull her hand from his fierce grip. He wasn't hurting her and his grasp wasn't tight enough to make her uncomfortable. It was actually just the opposite. Damon made her feel safe, and that terrified her. "You can't tell me what to do. I'm a mature adult. Why are you concerning yourself about my safety?" Her voice was rough, emotional and probably slightly panicky. She needed to distance herself, but it was difficult. Needy and raw after her experience the night before, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Damon's arms and let him hold her there, safe in his warm masculine embrace until she recovered her equilibrium.

"Your safety has always been my concern!" he blasted back at her, his voice low and husky. "I have always cared about you."

"But you left without a word…" Her voice was barely audible, confused.

He blew out an uneven breath, his face ravaged with uncertainty as he looked away, staring blankly at the sterile, white wall in front of him. "I love you, Elena. I have always loved you." He sighed, as though resigned to completing his explanation. "But I know you couldn't make a choice because you didn't want to hurt Stefan or me. I thought I would make your life easier by walking away. You wouldn't have to make a choice if I left."

Stunned, she asked in a hesitant voice, "You left so that I didn't have to make a choice?"

He turned his head and looked at her. "Yes."

She shook her head gently, still trying to come to terms with the fact that Damon had walked away so that she didn't have to choose between Stefan and him. But he never knew how heartbroken she was when she realised he was gone. "That was very kind of you to make my choice easy, Damon," she said, her voice shaking. "But you have no rights to make a decision for me."

He got up from his chair slowly and seated himself gently on the bed, facing her. "You don't think I have regretted it, do you? I have, for the last ten years." His words belied his actions as he carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his index finger trailing lightly over her temple and stroking over her cheek, as light as a feather. "I wasn't thinking, Elena. I was a fool. I shouldn't have walked away and let Stefan had you."

"But you did," Elena said bitterly. She closed her eyes as another squeezing sensation in her head hit her.

"I forgot about your pain medication. I'm sure you are hurting." He slapped the call button for the nurse.

A response came immediately from the small speaker attached to the call button. "Can I help you?" The voice sounded young and female.

"Miss Gilbert needs some pain medication." Damon's answer was abrupt: he came to his feet as he spat out the order.

"Someone will be right there." The faceless voice answered as the call light went from red to black.

"I'm tired," she told him quietly. "Please leave."

He leaned down slowly, so slowly that her breath seized, as those molten blue eyes glinted with tiny flames and focused intently on her, making her want to squirm. Her body quivered, the waves of intense masculinity that were pulsating around her making her body react. His mouth lowered to her ear, the heat of his breath heavy against her neck and the side of her face. "I'm not going to leave you here by yourself. I promise you I will never leave you again, Elena." His voice sent a shiver down her spine, but not from fear. Longing slammed into her body with hurricane force.

Her pent-up breath escaped in a tremulous sigh as the nurse entered the room, forcing Damon to straighten up and move away from the bed. The efficient, middle-aged woman gave Elena her medication and took her vital signs. After doing a quick assessment, the woman left, only after asking if there was anything else Elena needed and getting a negative reply.

Her eyes grew heavy as the powerful medication started to kick in. Yawning, she felt Damon's hand clasp hers, his thumb running loosely up and down her palm. "Pain medication. I'm not used to it," she murmured, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"Sleep. I will be here," he replied in a husky, concerned voice.

"Please leave. I'm fine."

"I'm not leaving until you can come home with me," he answered, his tone adamant and inflexible.

"Not coming home with you," she grumbled as her eyelids fluttered.

"We will see. Just sleep." His tone was soothing, pacifying.

And she wasn't fooled for one single second. He would try to bulldoze over her later.

Not having the strength or the desire to fight with him at that moment, she slept.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 17 APRIL 2006_

Elena revolved slowly before the full-length mirror in her bedroom. Aunt Jenna sat at the foot of the big four-poster bed, her eyes large and solemn with admiration.

"I wish I had a figure like yours to fit into that dress," she said.

"I'm glad Mum had a dress which is suitable for the Decade Dance," said Elena with a smile on her face. "It's perfect," she said warmly. "Don't you think so?"

The girl in the mirror fitted perfectly for the 60s Decade Dance. The long, full sleeves V-neck purple flora dress showed off her tiny waist. Matching with a white belt and a pair of white knee-length high-heel boots, Elena looked beautiful. She had also brushed her hair up into a youthful high ponytail style which suited the theme of the 60s. It showed off her slender neck.

As she turned away, Elena's gaze fell on the clock above the dresser. "Oh, no-it's almost seven. Damon will be here any minute."

"That's his car now," said Aunt Jenna, glancing out the window. "I will go down and let him in."

"That's all right," said Elena briefly. "I will meet him myself. Good-bye! I won't be too late tonight." She hurried down the stairs.

Here goes, she thought. As she reached for the doorknob, she was reminded of that day, nearly six months ago now, when she had first met Damon on the road. She'd had this same feeling of anticipation, of excitement and tension.

I just hope this turns out to be great, she thought. She had wanted to know more about Damon and to spend more time with him. Tonight was the chance she had.

The door swung open, and she stepped back with her eyes down, feeling almost shy, afraid to see Damon's face. But when she heard his sharp indrawn breath, she looked up quickly. He was staring at her in wonder.

"You are staring," she whispered.

He recovered swiftly, blinking and shaking his head. "I'm sorry. You look beautiful."

She smiled. "You look wonderful too," she said softly. And it was true; he was sleek and handsome in black. Soft black boots, black leather trousers, black shirt, and leather jacket.

"We'd better go," he said.

Elena nodded and went with him to the car. An effervescent of excitement shivered through her. Tonight would be special. She knew it would be.

Damon tried not to stare at Elena. She looked beautiful, he thought. He drove his blue Camaro along the road to the Town Hall, the sky was clear. It was a perfect night for the Decade Dance. As headlights passed them, Elena's clean profile and her soft, full lips were illuminated. His body tightened. Damon stared straight ahead and tried to stay focused. He was constantly battling himself not to touch her because she was Elena Gilbert. She was not any other women he had met previously. She was special.

"Have you attended the Decade Dance?" Damon asked.

"No," Elena confided. "The Decade Dance is a yearly event for the Founding Families. My family only moved here two years ago."

"The Founding Families founded Mystic Falls back in 1860," Damon explained. "The Lockwood, Fell and Salvatore families are the founders of Mystic Falls. Most of the members of the Founding Families are also members of Town Council."

"Almost all of the mayors of Mystic Falls are from the Lockwood family," he continued. "Do you know the Fell family is arrogant?"

"What?"

"Hmm, hmm. My dad used to describe the members of the Fell family as arrogant and Uncle Zach describes the Fell family as being 'notorious busy-bodies'."

She laughed softly. "What about the Salvatore family?"

"Sexy, handsome, gorgeous and irresistible."

Elena laughed harder.

He grinned and made a turn toward the Town Hall. "That's what I call having fun. Play hard, laugh hard."

The Town Hall parking lot was filled with cars. Elena saw that the Town Hall was lit up with multi-colours lanterns. Crowds of people chatted excitedly and walked toward the main doors. Her heart lifted. _Tonight I am going to have fun. Tonight I am going to enjoy being with Damon._ And how she wanted to be held in his arms! Anticipation soared within her as she climbed out of the car.

Wrapping his arms through hers, Damon said, "Since you are my date, let me escort you to the door." Secretly he was thrilled to have her arm hooked through his.

Elena said, "It wouldn't look good if you walk through the door alone, would it?"

Enjoying her closeness, their bodies touching here and there as they walked between the many cars, Damon answered, "Well, since the Salvatore family is one of the Founding Families, I would prefer to have the grand entrance."

"Grand entrance. I like the idea," she agreed, meeting his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat and Elena thought she saw need burning in Damon's eyes. Need of her. She wasn't so naïve as not to know when a man was interested in her. But could she read Damon accurately? Trying to tamp down her excitement and yearning, Elena struggled to remain immune to him, but it was nearly impossible.

The people entering the Town Hall were members of the Founding Families. Elena recognised a few faces but not all of them. Damon knew everyone. And everyone, it seemed, admired and respected him in return. There were plenty of jokes, back-slapping and handshakes.

She had never been to the Town Hall. The lofty ceiling was intricately carved and the oak floor was shinny and polished. Classical statues stood in niches along the walls. Elena had never seen a room of such splendour.

"Shall we dance?" he said as he led her to the dance floor, which was crowded with people. The local band struck up a 1960s-era song. Swept into his arms, Elena allowed herself to be pulled closed. She felt wonderful right now, so alive, so beautiful. Dangerous? Of course, this game was dangerous. But she had always enjoyed danger.

Damon placed his other hand on her waist. She could feel the warmth of his fingers there, the pressure. Her spine tingled wildly under his touch. Elena fantasized how it might feel to have Damon slip his hands beneath her dress. Her breasts tightened. Her nipples puckered. It was lovely, like flying, and her body knew every move to make. They danced around and around, in perfect timing, together.

He was laughing down at her, his blue eyes glittering with enjoyment. She felt so beautiful; so poised and alert and ready for anything. She couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun.

"You are a good dancer," she said.

"I have got moves you never know," he whispered near her ear. He wanted to say, _you feel so damn good to me. You are all woman. I want to kiss you and make love to you_. Choking all those words back down, Damon lifted his head to search her face. He could see happiness within her eyes. He felt himself spiral helplessly into them. Was it because she was in his arms?

"This is fun," she said, her voice husky with sudden emotion. Damon's face was shadowed by the light above, the semidarkness intimate. There might have been thirty other couples on the dance floor but she felt as if they were all alone in that moment. His blue eyes were large and intent-looking – upon her. Without thinking, she dropped her gazed to his very male, strong mouth. His lips were so closed to hers.

And then the song ended. People clapped enthusiastically for the local band that consisted a saxophonist, a drummer, a singer, and trumpet- and piano-players. The men were dressed like those from the 1960s era.

Elena reluctantly parted from Damon's arm but she didn't want to. Damon kept his hand in the small of her back and led her over to the beverage table.

Standing near the wall, crystal glass in hand, Elena appreciated the decorations. In the centre of the room a flashing silver ball slowly rotated. Each facet sparkled and cast light around the spacious area. Someone had tied small, medium and large ribbons and balloons here and there. It was a perfect Decade Dance.

Another slow dance started.

"Shall we?" Damon invited, setting his emptied glass on the table.

Elena smiled and set down her glass. Tonight, she would drown in the arms of Damon Salvatore. Everything else in her life would be forgotten. "Yes, come on." She gave him a playful smile and pulled him out onto the dance floor. The couples rapidly filled up the dance floor as the singer launched into a torch song.

Damon grinned at Elena's sudden and unexpected spontaneity. He liked it, especially the glint in her eyes. Whisking her into his arms, Damon was pleased once more as she pressed her body to his. His hand settled on her back and he kept her close. Elena didn't resist. When she rested her head on his shoulder, joy exploded through him.

The scent of Damon was all male. Elena inhaled the woodsy soap he had used when he had showered. The need to be held in his arms made her felt so alive. They moved slowly, the song surrounding them and, again, it was as if they were the only two people out on the large dance floor.

"You smell good," Damon murmured, his lips against her silky hair. "If I'm a big bad wolf, I would gobble you up in a heartbeat."

His words filtered down through her. His voice was low and gruff, sending a delicious sensation to her breasts and then to her whole body. Elena could feel Damon's masculinity, the tautness of his body, the unspoken strength hidden and just waiting to be unleashed. Most of all, she could feel that he wanted her. She wanted him.

As she lifter her face, his lips were scant inches from hers. Elena met his hooded, darkened eyes that burned with need, and a soft sigh whispered from between her lips. Without thinking for once, Elena leaned upward, her mouth sliding against the line of his. She initiated the contact out of some wild, deep part of herself. Instantly, Damon's mouth took hers, sweeping her into a world of heat and melting desire. As his lips slid across hers, rocking them open and claiming her swiftly, Elena surrendered to the power of him as a man wanting her. All of her.

The music faded. The sense of being on a crowded dance floor slipped away from Elena. She allowed her fingers to tangle in Damon's hair. As his hands pressed her hard against his front, Elena felt the world disintegrating. His mouth was searching, tender and coaxing. A ravenous hunger burned between her legs, so sharp and needy, that she surged against his mouth, tasting him, glorying in his maleness and absorbing it like a greedy sex starved woman.

In the back of her spinning mind, Elena wanted to forget everything. All she wanted right now was Damon. Naked. In her bed. She wanted to feel him thrust inside her, take her as they melted hotly into one another. He moved her slowly around in a circle, his left hand caressing the length of her spine. It was as if he were making love to her right now. His mouth was commanding and yet teasing. His kiss was unlike any other she had ever experienced.

The music ended. Somewhere in her dizzied senses, Elena heard it stop, but it didn't register. Damon tore his mouth from hers. They stood facing one another, his hands on her shoulders. Her whole body vibrated beneath his touch. His tense gaze made her tremble. Elena could only stare up at Damon, at a loss for words.

"I think we should leave. It is way past your bedtime," he managed in a strangled whisper. "Aunt Jenna will be worried."

Her world exploded in front of her. Did he regret kissing her? Avoiding his gaze, Elena touched her lips. "You…you are right. It's late. We should leave now."

Damon could see Elena was struggling with her confusion. As for him, his emotions were in utter tatters. He could barely think. All he really wanted to do was drag Elena out of the Town Hall, back to his house and carry her to his bed. And love her until he lost himself. But Elena was not like other women. He didn't want to hurt her.

Without a word, he pulled her off the dance floor and led her to the parking lot where his Camaro was. Elena got inside the car without any hesitation.

A short time later he stopped at the driveway in front of her house.

"Good night." She unfastened her seatbelt but Damon grabbed her hand before she could open the door.

His arm—strong and firm—went to her waist and he pulled her against him, close enough that her breasts pushed up against his chest. She caught her breath at his touch. "Damon…"

"I want you to know that I didn't regret kissing you just now. I have been wanting to kiss you since I first met you. I wanted to kiss you when I saw you again at Stefan's party. I wanted to kiss you when we were having snow fight on Christmas Day. And I want to kiss you now." He leaned in and gently kissed her mouth.

She gasped. She…hadn't expected that.

His thumb grazed her lower lip, his gaze on her face. "You have no idea what you can do to me, Elena."

"What?" she whispered.

He lowered his head until his mouth hovered just above hers. "You drive me crazy, sweetheart."

He kissed her slowly, lingeringly. When he raised his head she saw the hunger in him. She felt her blood heat.

She swallowed. "Just want to be clear. This isn't a game, is it?"

He cradled her chin in his palms. "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Not as long as I have something to say. Let me get this straight. I'm not interested in playing your games…"

He covered her mouth with his own before she could finish what she was saying. Elena responded immediately, she threaded her fingers through his hair, letting instinct and the special connection she felt with him take over completely.

His hands moved to hold her head in place while he ravaged her mouth, taking charge immediately. He didn't stop with one kiss. The first impassioned embrace lead to another, and then another, neither one being able to get enough of the other. The banked flames between them had finally been fanned, and they were caught in a raging inferno that neither one of them could subdue.


	9. Chapter 9

_MYSTIC FALLS 22 APRIL 2006_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I'm happy. Being with Damon makes me happy. When I'm with him...it feels unpredictable, like...like I'm free. I feel alive. The feeling is awesome._

 _Something's changed, between Damon and me. I think I'm falling in love with him._

 _When we are with each other I can feel how he feels, and I know how much he wants me, how much he cares. There's an almost desperate hunger inside him when he kisses me, as if he wants to pull the soul out of my body. Like a black hole._

 _Damon had gone back to Richmond on Tuesday. I can't deny the fact I miss him already. I didn't tell him that, because I don't want to sound like a needy girlfriend._

 _Girlfriend…Did he really think I'm his girlfriend?_

 _He didn't say anything after we kissed in the car on that night of the Decade Dance._

 _When I woke up the next morning I panicked, thinking, "What if it all isn't true? What if it never happened or if he's changed his mind?" But then he texted me saying that he was on his way back to Richmond and he would call when he arrived. And he did call me. I was so happy to hear his voice._

 _We are very definitely together. That's what I think…_

 _What are you doing this weekend? I'm still in the station trying to finish off a report. Boring!_

Elena smiled down at the text message from Damon. She hadn't talked to Caroline in several days and they had made arrangements to spend some time at Caroline's house.

She sent a return text. _At Caroline's house. Just got back from lunch. We had burgers at the Grill._

It was Saturday, almost five days since the Decade Dance. Damon sent her messages every day, usually several times a day. He called her immediately when he reached Richmond on Tuesday. They joked, they talked, they texted each other. And he promised he would come back to town to spend a weekend with her in May. Elena had never felt so happy in her life.

Her phone beeped again.

 _I miss the burgers at the Grill! But I know there is place which serves great fish burgers just out of town._

She replied. _Really? I love fish burgers._

Her phone beeped again. _I love fish burgers too. See how much we have in common already?_

She snickered as read the text, almost able to hear Damon speaking those words out loud with his sexy smile on his face.

"You are ignoring me, Elena." Caroline wailed to her. "What's happening?"

She was sitting on Caroline's bed while Caroline was trying out on a dress she bought during the Easter sale.

She shrugged. "Nothing."

"You sound completely smitten."

"I'm not," Elena answered quickly.

Caroline snorted. "Yes, you are. You are looking at your phone non-stop the whole day. Who's texting you?"

"Nobody."

"Come on, Elena," Caroline pleaded. "You know we share everything. You can't keep a secret from me. Who's texting you?"

Elena looked at the blonde in front of her. She had never been able to hide much from Caroline. "It's Damon."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Damon?"

"Uh huh."

"Speaking of Damon," said Caroline, her eyes on Elena's, "how are things going?"

Elena pleated the colourful bedspread with her fingers. "Well, we…we are friends."

"Just friends?"

"Uh huh."

"But you like him," Caroline teased. "A lot."

She felt heat rising in her cheeks. "Caroline!"

"Elena, you are blushing!"

"Did he try to come on to you or something again?"

She blushed to the roots of her hair. "I…we…"

"He did! Well, I will be darned. He put the make on you again! Come on, girl, spill it. Tell me you put all that raw male and hard muscle to good use."

Elena couldn't dodge the pointed question. Caroline knew her too well.

"We went to the Decade Dance. We danced and it felt as if we were all alone that moment. Things got tense…"

"I will bet!"

"…and we…kissed."

"Then what happened?"

"Then nothing."

Caroline cocked her brow at Elena. "You and Damon just kissed?"

"That's right."

"I mean, Elena, I'm you friend, okay? You are supposed to share the smut."

"I told you - we just kissed."

"Has he tried anything?"

Elena raised her brows. "What?"

"Did you sleep with him?"

She gaped at Caroline. "Of course not!"

"OK, what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already! Ok, it's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Profound."

"So what's happening now? How is he treating you?"

"Well, I mean he is treating me fine. More than fine. He is…wonderful."

Caroline reached out her hand, resting it over Elena's hand. "You look happy. You sound happy. I haven't seen you so upbeat in a long time."

Elena smiled. "I'm happy."

"What about Stefan? What are you going to do?" Caroline asked. "He likes you. You know that, right?"

Her shoulders slumped. "I know. I like Stefan as a friend and I don't want to hurt him." She sighed. "What should I do?"

"Is Damon going to talk to Stefan?" Caroline asked. "He should let his brother know."

Looking uncomfortable, Elena said, "Damon and I haven't talked about this."

"This is not good," Caroline said. Her expression was grim.

"Caroline, please don't tell Stefan about me and Damon." Elena squeezed Caroline's hand. "I promise that I'll tell him. I just - I need to figure out some stuff first."

"Of course." Caroline answered. "You have my words."

Elena smiled weakly. "Thank you."

"Hey, you are supposed to be happy," Caroline said. "Just go with it. Relax. Enjoy what you have while you have it. Okay?"

"You are right," Elena answered. "Live in the moment. Don't think about the future."

"That's right. Live in the moment." Caroline hugged her.

Live in the moment, Elena told herself. It might feel totally alien to her, but she was going to try.

 _x x x_

 _MYSTIC FALLS 8 JULY 2016_

It was 1 am.

Damon tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep. Rolling onto his back, frustrated and pissed-off, he stared up at the ceiling, his eyes wide open when they should be closed, catching up on lost sleep. Dammit! He hadn't slept since the evening that Elena was injured. Now that she was back, he was still restless.

He hadn't entirely recovered from the roller coaster of emotions he had been through in the last two days, he realized. Elena had been through a bad experience, but the whole event had not been a picnic for him. He had endured his own private ordeal.

First there had been the nightmare images he had envisioned when Elena hadn't returned home late that night. Given the fact that Elena was upset about them sleeping together the night before, he had started out with the worst-case scenario—that she was avoiding him. When he had got to the hospital, he had summoned up some common sense and logic. Elena was a surgeon. She could be busy operating in the operating room. She wouldn't be avoiding him. They were mature adults.

Then he spotted Elena was being dragged into a car by two men, he had been chilled to the bone. What if he hadn't turned up to the hospital looking for Elena that night?

Stefan had taken the money. And now Marko wanted his money back. He had searched the house but didn't find anything. He must think Elena had kept the money. Marko would strike again.

A cold feeling closed in on Damon. The dread that he had been holding at bay all day broke through the dam, and he was suddenly dealing with a nightmarish river.

Seeing her so fragile, pale and helpless in a hospital bed had nearly destroyed him, making him ache in other areas above his waist. For the last twenty four hours, his driving need to protect her, to keep her safe, had been his primary motivation.

His lips turned up in a small smile as he remembered her outrage over the fact that he had contacted the hospital, explaining the situation and getting her absence for the rest of the week approved. He had thought he was being helpful, smoothing things over so she had time to recover. His crazy woman had actually thought she was going to return to work the day after she was discharged from the hospital, and she had raked him over the coals for interfering in her life. She had gotten right up in his face and ripped him a new asshole. Elena had no problem challenging him, and her intelligent mind was provocative. Maybe…just maybe…part of him enjoyed it. Had a woman ever opposed him, questioned him, and called him out for behaviour she didn't like? Elena Gilbert was the first.

Gritting his teeth, he rolled to his side, punching his pillow and trying to get comfortable. He had to forget and get a grip on his emotions. He had the comfort of knowing she was safe. Wasn't that enough? At least he wasn't going insane from not knowing where she was, if she was okay.

A piercing, terrified female howl made Damon shoot straight up in bed, his muscles clenched, his heart racing.

Elena!

Panic held him in its grip for a few seconds as the screams grew louder, more intense.

His feet hit the floor, protective instinct making adrenaline pump through his body as he raced down the dark hallway to her room. Flipping on the light without even breaking his stride, he halted abruptly at the side of her bed.

Her arms were wrapped protectively around herself, tears flowing like a river down her sweet face. Hair tangled, head down, she was whimpering and gasping for breath.

"Sweetheart, what happened?" He sat next to her on the bed. Her sheets were snarled and twisted, as though she had been fighting World War III on her mattress.

"Dream," she whispered, as though still trying to convince herself. "Just a dream."

Before Damon could question her any further, they heard Aunt Jenna as she came through the door. "Elena, are you okay? I heard someone screaming…"

"She is fine. The wound is sore. That's it." He lied.

"Oh, my dear, are you feeling all right? Maybe we should call a doctor," suggested Aunt Jenna, and Elena reacted instantly.

"No. No, I'm fine. I will take some pain killers."

"Why don't you go back to bed? I will keep an eye on her," Damon said.

Aunt Jenna was reluctant to agree, but Damon's manner was so disarming that she stifled any further protests. She said a hurried good night and left.

Elena was still shivering. He scooped her up and placed her in his lap, pulling her unresisting body into his, trying to warm her in his embrace. Heart racing, he enfolded her, pulling her head into his neck.

"What were you dreaming about?" He stroked her silky hair, letting it slide over his fingertips, as he took a deep breath, trying to calm his hammering heart.

"The attack. It was so real," she murmured, shuddering against him.

"It's over. You are safe. You will always be safe." _Right here. With me._

Damon lowered her into her bed, coming down with her. Her panic abated slowly and he pulled the covers and a quilt on top them before he slid in behind her, spooning her body against his, and wrapping his warm, muscular arms around her body protectively. Elena sighed, sinking into his warmth, as she relaxed her head back to rest against his shoulder, relishing the security of his huge, masculine body.

"Okay?" he questioned softly, his breath ruffling her hair.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I woke you. You can go back to your own bed in a minute." She didn't want to him go back. She wanted to stay right where she was, warm and safe in his arms.

"I'm not going anywhere," he rumbled against hair.

"But you need to sleep," she protested, feeling suddenly selfish for wishing he could stay.

"I won't get a minute of sleep unless I know you are fine." His arms tightened around her waist. Her body plastered against his. "You want to tell me about the nightmare?"

Actually, what she wanted was to forget. But she turned around in the circle of his arms, needing desperately to wrap herself around his warm masculine body. She wasn't a tiny, delicate female, but as she buried her face against his bulky, solid chest, she felt like one. "It was just a dream about what happened. Only in the dream, they got me into the car. They were going to rape me before they shot me in the head. I fought, but they were ripping at my clothes. They were so much stronger. All I could think about was that I wanted to die before they could violate me, but the one that got away was on top me, the other holding the gun to my head." She was shaking her head, trying not to get emotional. It was only a dream. It hadn't really happened. "But it was so real. I could smell their body odour, see those evil eyes. I woke up just as they…" her voice trailed off in a shaken whisper.

Damon rocked her, running a hand over her back as though he were comforting a small child. "Shhh...it's okay, sweetheart. You are safe. They can't get to you anymore."

Her body quaking from the nightmare, all she wanted was to wipe away the bad memories, to bury herself in sensation, to indulge herself in the incredible body of the man who was comforting her. The one man who could make her forget about the attack, wipe it away with his sensual touch. "You saved me," she whispered. "Can you stay with me tonight?"

She felt his body tense as she pushed him gently, rolling him on his back. Her hands roamed over his chest, savouring the hard, sinewy muscles and taut, hot skin. Unhurried, she traced each muscle from his shoulders to his abdomen, caressing the enticing swirl of hair that led from his navel to his groin.

"Elena, we can't do this," Damon groaned, catching her wandering hands in his strong grip.

"No?" she asked disappointedly.

"No," he replied shakily.

"Thank you again for what you did."

She leaned closer and kissed him. One minute she was on top of him, her lips covering his, ready to lose herself in the power of his touch, and the next moment...she was flat on her back. He had flipped her, tearing his mouth from hers.

"No! Elena, stop!" His voice was tortured.

Her gaze moved to his lips with a look of longing.

"Would you kiss me?" she asked him hesitantly, her stare still intent on his lips.

Damon stared right back at her, wanting to tell her she was the most kissable woman on the planet. He wanted to devour her mouth more than he wanted anything else in the world right at that moment. But he had to keep himself from touching her. "You are not in your right mind, Elena. You don't know what you want right now. Just close your eyes and go to sleep." He had nearly gagged on the words, wanting something else completely, but he was unwilling to take advantage of Elena when she was so vulnerable.

Her gaze left his mouth and she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I asked."

"Just go to sleep. I will be right here."

She sighed and snuggled close to him. "I just want to be close to you. You have control."

"Around you, I doubt I will ever really have any control," he muttered quietly, his voice filled with reluctant resignation.

"Good night, Damon," she said softly. Her eyes closed and she slid into the night.

The rumble of voices awakened her the next morning. She opened her eyes and found herself alone in her bedroom

The voices downstairs grew louder. Damon was talking to someone in the kitchen. A woman. She could not make out the words, but the conversation sounded tense.

She listened for a while, curiosity growing swiftly. Who would come calling at this hour? Then she recognised the voice. Caroline Forbes.

"Oh, damn."

She tossed aside the covers, scrambled out of bed, and hurriedly pulled on her jeans and a blue lace hoodie. She stepped into a pair of loafers, ran a brush through her hair, and headed for the stairs.

She found Damon at the kitchen table with a beautiful blonde. Caroline, her best friend since high school.

"Caroline."

"Morning, Elena." Caroline nodded.

"What brings you here this morning?" she asked.

"Well, Damon can explain, can't he?" Caroline glanced at Damon.

Elena frowned and turned to Damon for an explanation. A single glance was enough to tell her that something was terribly wrong.

Damon's jaw was set in a grim line. A formless dread wafted through Elena. It was as if a ghost had brushed up against her.

"What is it?" she asked nervously.

"It's about the guys who attacked you the other night," Caroline said quietly. "Damon has some bad news."

She went to the table and gripped the back of the empty chair. "What happened?"

"They thought you had the money," Damon said in a sombre tone.

"What money?" Elena sank down into the chair. "What are you talking about?"

"Rumours had it that both Stefan and Luke had stolen from the mob boss Marko rumoured to control the drug cartels of the entire State of Virginia," Caroline said. "They had embezzled millions from Marko over the last one year."

Elena planted her hands on the table "Wait a second. Are you saying that Stefan was involved with a drug dealer?"

"That's the information I have been given," Caroline said. "A reporter from Richmond has been following the news on Marko's organisation."

"But that's crazy. Why would Stefan do such a thing?"

"For money." Caroline looked at Damon. "I'm sure the DEA will have more information on this."

Damon flicked an irritated glance at Caroline's beautiful face. "This is strictly DEA's business. It's confidential."

Elena gaped at him. "What!? You know about this and you didn't bother to tell me?"

"Like I said, it's confidential."

Elena felt anger rise inside her, a rage so explosive that her body started to shake. "That's the reason you turn up in town. You are here to investigate Stefan's death. Why didn't you tell me? Why?"

Damon crossed his arms. "DEA's business is confidential."

"How can you do that? Stefan is your brother. How can you not trust him?" Elena cried out.

"I trust nobody. Show me the evidence, and then I will believe you."

The cold look on his face set her off, and at that moment, Elena completely lost it.

"You are here to look for evidence, aren't you? You think I know about Stefan's dark secrets. That's why you are here." She glared at him. "What's your plan, Agent Salvatore? How are you going to drag information from me? Turn on the famous Damon's charm? That's explained why you kissed me and slept with me. Am I right?" She stood up, moved towards him and poked a finger in his chest, her face flushed with fury.

"Oh my God!" Caroline whispered. "You sweet-talked Elena into bed as part of your plan!"

Damon stood up and faced Elena. His eyes were now blazed with fury. Gone was the sensuous smile. In their place was a thin, grim slash of a mouth set in a granite-hard chin. "Dammit! You know I care about you, Elena. I would never do anything to hurt you!"

Tears filled her eyes, the result of the burning anger spreading through her entire being. She had been intimate with this man, the same man who probably used her to get information for an investigation. "But you did. You are a liar. You can't be trusted."

x x x

Two hours later, stretched out on her bed, Elena tried to sort out her mangled emotions and jumbled thoughts. She gazed at the photo on her bedside table. In the picture, Stefan was smiling happily at the camera. She was standing next to him. His arm was draped around her shoulders in an unmistakably possessive pose.

She couldn't believe Stefan was involved with a drug dealer. It must be a mistake. The Stefan she had known for more than ten years was compassionate, kind, noble and honourable.

She had every right to be furious with Damon because he lied to her. He came back to Mystic Falls to investigate Stefan's death. She had every right to know about the truth of his death.

Someone knocked on the door. Just two short, imperative raps.

"Come in," she said.

"You okay?" Damon asked as he opened the door and walked inside. "Can we talk, Elena?"

She took some satisfaction from the fact that he sounded worried.

"I'm pissed," she said.

"Yeah. I know." He handed her a glass of iced tea. After a second's hesitation she took it from him. He seemed relieved. He lowered himself onto the edge of her bed and rested his elbows on his knees. "It was my fault."

"We've already established that." She examined the glass in her hand. The tea was not ordinary black tea over ice. It was a luscious green-gold in colour. There was a sprig of mint draped artistically over the rim and tiny little mint leaves frozen inside each ice cube. A crisp straw poked over the edge of the glass. An impossibly thin slice of lemon floated in the crystal-clear depths. "There's no little paper umbrella," she said.

He examined the glass critically and then shook his head once, decisively. "An umbrella would have been over the top."

"You shouldn't have lied to me." She sipped the tea through the straw. It was perfect. Cold, strong, and invigorating. "Why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry, Elena." He looked down at his hands. "I lied to you. I can't expect you to just forgive me for that, to act like it never happened. Besides, it is my job to come after you."

 _Would you have come after me if it hadn't been your job?_ She wanted to ask, but knew she never could.

Maybe she had imagined that soft tenderness lurking in the depths of those blue eyes when he held her and caressed her.

"Marko can't know the DEA is involved. We have to mount this raid on Marko's operation. That's the only way to keep you safe."

She slowly lowered the glass on the table. "You think Stefan had taken the money?"

He looked at her. "I know you won't believe it. But it is the truth, Elena. Stefan had taken away the money and hid it somewhere."

Hugging her arms, she dropped her head against a pillow. "I can't believe Stefan would do something like this."

"People change."

There was a brief silence before she spoke again. "Marko believed I have the money."

"Yes."

"But the DEA hasn't found the money yet."

He shook his head.

"So what's your plan next?"

"I will make sure you are safe," Damon promised grimly. "Nobody will hurt you again."

She straightened. "Maybe…maybe I have a plan."

Damon narrowed his eyes. "What plan?"

Dragging in a deep breath, she plunged into the idea that had been taking shape in her mind. "We let it leak that I knew more about Stefan's deal with Marko. That I want to spill everything in exchange for protection. We put out words that you will bring me back to New York to talk to the authorities. Marko will try to make sure that doesn't happen…"

Damon stood up. "No!"

She lifted a brow. "Why not?"

"There is no way I'm setting you up as a target," Damon said, flatly. "Forget it."

She rose and faced him. "Marko thought that I have the money. He would come back to me anyway."

"I'm here to make sure you are safe. I'm calling the shots here, and I refuse to put you in line of fire."

"I have some say in this too,"

"No, you don't."

Her jaw tightened. "I have a right to make my own decision."

"You do not get to make decisions anymore."

"When have I ever made a decision? You always do that for me. Now this, this is my decision."

"It's my job to ensure your safety. I won't let you do it."

"So you care about me now? You didn't seem to care for me in ten goddamn years. Why this sudden change?" She glared at him. "You can't just play with people's lives, Mr Salvatore. I'm not a toy. I'm a living, breathing person. I can make my own decision."

Outrage sparked through him. "I'm trying to keep you safe. For goodness sake!"

"That does it. I have enough." She took a decisive step toward the door. "Let's get something straight here. I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself. I do not need anyone to control my life and make decisions for me. Are we very clear on that?"

Damon looked both crushed and bewildered. "I was just trying to protect you."

"Forget it," she said as she swung open the door. "I don't want to hear any more. Please leave. I need to check my email."

When he reached the door he turned around and faced her. "I'm concerned about your safety, Elena. I don't want you to get hurt."

She ignored him. "You left, Damon. You didn't call or text. As I recall, you didn't want to see me or talk to me. And you didn't want to be my friend. You can stop pretending that you care now."

Damon's brows scrunched together in a wary expression. "I know you are mad."

"Annoyed. Irritated. But lucky for you, I am not yet mad. You have never seen me mad, and it's probably best that way."

"You have no idea how dangerous Marko is…"

"He killed Stefan. We have to do something. We can't let Marko get away from this," she demanded.

He looked annoyed. "You think I didn't know that? I swear to God I will go after him and put him in jail myself."

"Then let me help you."

"No!"

"That's the only way to get Marko."

"I'm not going to use you as bait."

"Whatever plan you have, it certainly hasn't snared your prey. I don't care whether you like it or not. I'm in this. Now I suggest you start treating me as an equal partner in this venture…"

"You are not my partner and I'm not using you as bait. Do you understand?"

Red slashed across her cheeks. She had never met anyone who could take her from anger to hurt and back to anger again as fast as this man could.

"You know why I liked Stefan?"

He looked surprised with the change in topic. "What?"

"When Stefan and I were together he used to let me make my own decisions. He trusted me. That's what I liked about Stefan."

She shut the door in his face.


	10. Chapter 10

_MYSTIC FALLS 9 JULY 2016_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I can't believe it._

 _My world has been turned upside down._

 _Firstly, Stefan was dead. My fiancé was dead._

 _Secondly, Damon came back to town. The man I have been hoping to see again in the last ten years is now living under the same roof as me._

 _Thirdly, Damon and I kissed. Not once but twice. And we slept together._

 _Fourthly, Stefan was involved in some illegal activities with a mob boss._

 _What is going on? Why is my world so crazy?_

 _Stefan had somehow been involved in some illegal activities for more than a year. Stefan was supplying drugs to a drug dealer. Stefan took a lot of money from a drug dealer and hid it somewhere._

 _This sounds so crazy._

 _Stefan was the golden boy since high school. The Stefan I knew was kind, compassionate, noble and honourable. He came into my life at a time when I needed someone, he was there when Damon was nowhere to be found._

 _Speaking of Damon…_

 _I have never gotten over him. I probably never would. He had haunted me for the last ten years. He got under my skin like a sliver of wood that's always a little bit raw and irritated, never working its way out again._

 _I'm such a horrible person, aren't I? Stefan died less than two weeks ago and I was already in bed with Damon. I was supposed to be grieving for Stefan. But I didn't._

 _I'm starting to hate myself. I really do._

He couldn't sleep again.

He got up and went into the living room to contemplate the view from the windows.

It hurt.

 _When Stefan and I were together he used to let me make my own decisions. He trusted me. That's what I liked about Stefan._

Did she think that he never trusted her? Did she think that he would never let her make her own decisions?

He was trying to keep her safe. Didn't she understand?

He still hadn't recovered from his gut-twisting reaction to her suggestion that she set herself up as a target. His palms got sweaty just remembering it. He had lost his brother to a cold-blooded killer. No way he was going to lose Elena.

A chill blew down his spine with icy breath. What would Marko do to the fiancée of someone who had betrayed him? Especially if he thought she had something that belonged to him? Damon didn't even want to think about it.

He heard her footsteps on the stairs, but he did not turn around until she spoke.

"Damon? What are you doing up so late?"

He did turn then, and saw her at the stairs, a wraithlike figure silhouetted by the soft glow of a night-light.

"Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to wake you. Couldn't sleep."

"You didn't wake me. I couldn't sleep either."

"Is your head still sore?" he asked. "Do you want more pain killers?"

Elena shook her head. "I'm okay."

"It's late now. You should go back to bed."

"Are you thinking about where Stefan would have hidden the money?"

"Don't get involved in this, Elena," he said quietly. "Don't."

She moved to stand in front of him. "No. Stefan was my fiancé. I need to know," she said. "My curiosity got the better of me."

Damon looked at her for a long time. "We have information provided by the undercover agents proving that the supply of drugs came from Mystic Falls Hospital." He paused for a brief moment before continuing. "Stefan and Luke were the suspects."

She caught her breath. "How long do you think they were involved with Marko?"

He shrugged. "More than a year. Could be longer. The DEA has been tracking Marko's operation for at least a year."

"I have heard there are many cases of doctors illegally selling prescription drugs to dealers and addicts," she whispered.

Damon nodded. "Stefan was the head of Emergency Department of Mystic Falls Hospital. Luke was his assistant. They could easily get their hands on the drugs."

"If Stefan and Luke had been supplying the drugs to Marko, then why did he kill them?"

"Our sources tell us they took the money but didn't give the drugs to Marko."

"How much money was involved?"

"Two million."

"Good God!"

"Stefan and Luke were dumb enough to think they could steal from Marko and get away with it," Damon went on. "A stupid and silly mistake."

"It was Marko who broke into the house the other night?" she asked. "He wanted to look for the money."

"Yes," he answered. "But they didn't find it. That's why he still thinks you have the money."

A chill went down her spine. "I don't know anything about the money."

"I know."

"You know?"

"Because I know you."

Elena exhaled deeply. "I still can't believe Stefan would do something like this. I thought I know him."

"Think so?"

"What are you trying to say?" she questioned resentfully.

"People change."

"But this is Stefan we are talking about. I don't believe he would change."

He shrugged again. "Maybe sometimes people did not actually change. Maybe you just never knew who they really were."

Elena tried to digest the information, her overwhelmed brain struggling to acknowledge the fact that Stefan was involved with a drug dealer. But the notion was so surreal that she wasn't sure how to react.

"Is it true, Damon?" she asked Damon in a tremulous voice. "Is it true?"

Damon looked at her. "I don't want to believe it either, Elena." His voice was raw. "But this is the truth."

There was a long silence. The night settled more heavily around them.

"Do you have any idea where did Stefan hide the money?" she asked, breaking the silence inside the house.

Damon shook his head. "DEA had combed through every inch of the house and can't find the money. We have checked Stefan's bank account as well but nothing comes up. He must have hidden it somewhere."

"I didn't notice anything different with Stefan's finances recently." Her mouth twisted in a humourless smile. "But I guess I missed all the clues with Stefan and Luke. I was a fool."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Elena."

She looked at him and said nothing.

"Let me help you, Damon," she said after a while.

"No," he stated flatly. "It's too dangerous."

"It's the only way to hunt down Marko."

He frowned. "You were nearly killed the other night. I'm not taking another chance."

"But you saved me."

"That's not how I remember it."

"That's exactly how I remember it," she said. "I know you will keep me safe."

He ached to reach out a hand out and pull her into his arms. To fight it, he clenched his fingers tightly. "Elena…"

She put one hand on his arm. "Damon, I know you want to nail Marko. So do I. Let me help you. Please."

His eyes went hard and flat, as though he didn't want her to glimpse the emotion behind them.

"I have to speak to the DEA first," he said curtly.

She nodded, amazed at how her world had taken on such a sinister tint.

"But you have to follow my instruction," he warned. "You are not allowed to do things on your own."

"I will do whatever the DEA wants me to do. I won't interfere, if that's what is worrying you."

He cut her a sideway glance as he turned around. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"If you and I hadn't met ten years ago, you would still fall for Stefan, right?"

"Damon…"

The ache in his gut intensified. "Don't bother to answer. I understand. Good night, Elena."

With that, he walked to the stairs and headed back to his bedroom. The agony filling in his heart and soul was so strong. It was like a hot, heavy ache inside him, worse than a hundred knife wounds.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 27 APRIL 2006_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I feel awful this whole week. And I have to share it with someone._

 _Something is going wrong with Damon and me. I don't know what to do._

 _He hasn't called or texted for the whole week. What is going on?_

 _I can't bear the thought of losing him. I'm falling in love with him._

 _No, not falling. I'm already in love with him. I'm well on my way, have tumbled much too far down to claw my way back up to safer ground._

 _I had sent him a few text messages in the last few days but there was no reply. What's Damon doing? Where is he?_

 _This sounds completely crazy. I know his career is important. It is his job to hunt the bad guys. But is hunting the bad guys more important than me?_

 _Maybe I should call him. But I don't want to sound desperate and needy._

 _I didn't know how I got through the past few days._

 _I miss Damon, I miss him, I miss him like crazy._

Elena was seriously having a bad day.

She hefted her backpack to make it sit more solidly on her shoulder. She was late to her biology class.

For the last week she hadn't really been herself. She hadn't been able to think clearly or concentrate on anything but Damon. She had forgotten to hand in her assay this morning. Mr Tanner wasn't pleased. Stefan, who was in front of her, looked as tense as if he was going to leap out of his chair any minute. Matt gave her a "are you okay" looks and Caroline looked very concerned. Elena didn't know how to explain except to say she was sorry.

Exhaustion tugged at Elena's body and her stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten properly this whole week. Her appetite was gone. Food tasted like cardboard.

She stopped abruptly as the hall started to tilt and her vision blurred. Oh, damn. Her hand reached out to grip the wall to steady herself as her brain whirled and her body trembled. Dizziness made it impossible to function, to advance any further. Damn it. She should have taken the time to eat.

"Elena!" She heard the low, no-nonsense baritone filter through to her foggy brain. It was Stefan. She recognised his voice.

Shaking her head, trying to clear her vision, Elena willed herself not to pass out on the hall as her body swayed precariously, preparing itself for the fall.

"Christ, you look like hell!" Stefan's voice, impatient and husky, broke through her hazy mind, and she felt a pair of solid, muscular arms come around her as she was lifted against a solid, rock-hard chest.

Warm…so warm. Instinctively, she snuggled into the heat of the sturdy, heat-producing form, trying to use the body heat to unlock her chilled muscles.

She rested her spinning head against his broad and solid shoulder. She wanted to tell him she was okay but she didn't have the strength.

Moments later, she was gently lowered to a comfortable bed and covered in a warm comforter that eased the chill from her body. Her shoes were removed roughly and dropped to the floor. She opened her eyes and tried to focus. Struggling to sit up, she found herself pushed back down onto the pillows by strong hands on her shoulders. "Don't move. Not one inch."

"I'm fine. I was just a little dizziness," she argued as she tried to sit up again.

"You are not fine," Stefan barked. "The doctor is here to see you."

"Doctor?" Alarmed, Elena focused on another man who lurked behind Stefan. "I don't need a doctor."

"Too late. He is here. And you are being checked."

"I can refuse," she answered hesitantly, her gaze finally meeting the green eyes of Stefan.

"You won't," he told her in a warning voice.

"Young lady, I heard you have been sick. I'm Dr Simms. Let me take a quick look at you." A kind, middle-aged face approached her. Elena let out a relieved breath and gave the jovial doctor a small smile.

"I'm fine. It has been a long day. Just a little fatigue," she assured the physician, wanting to run away from this humbling situation as soon as possible.

Stefan stood behind the doctor, his arms crossed and his expression concerned.

Elena let the doctor do his exam. Dr Simms was kind and efficient with a bedside manner that had her smiling as he chatted absently during his evaluation. He gave her commands and asked the standard questions. She answered his questions as briefly as possible, wanting to get the exam finished and get out of there.

Dr Simms stood with a congenial smile as he completed his exam. "You need rest and food. It doesn't sound like you sleep or eat properly." The doctor's smile broadened. "Typical of us medical folks. It may have been a while ago, but I still remember medical school." After a pause, the doctor asked professionally. "Any chance you could be pregnant?"

Elena's eyes shot to Stefan's face, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Did Stefan really need to hearing all of this? His eyes locked with hers and his body seemed visibly tense as he waited for her answer.

"No. Absolutely no possibility," she answered with a timidity that was usually not part of her personality. There wasn't a chance in hell that she was pregnant. She and Damon had kissed but she had not slept with him.

The doctor breezed over the subject, instructing her to rest and eat properly.

Elena thanked him and gave him a tremulous smile before he left the room.

"Where am I?" she asked as she glanced around the room.

"This is the sickbay near the gym," Stefan answered. "Caroline is in the class but I will let her know you are okay."

"I want to get back to class," she said. She sat up quickly, too quickly, and the room rotated for a minute before her head cleared. God, she was as weak as a kitten from lack of rest and lack of food.

"You are sick and you are going home," Stefan told her sternly as his dark eyes swept over her and he grimaced. "I'm going to drive you home."

"I don't want to miss any class," she argued.

"You are going home now. I already called Aunt Jenna and she is expecting you." His expression was disapproving as he helped her out of bed. "You are taking tomorrow off as well. The principal is aware that you are sick."

"But…"

"Don't argue! This discussion is over. I'm going to take you home. Aunt Jenna will make you something to eat and you will eat it. Then you will go to sleep." Stefan maintained his hold on her as he drew her up. He balanced her body against his as he picked up her backpack, then swept her into his arms and carried her out of the building.

When he had settled her into his car, Stefan climbed into his seat and started the car. She sighed and leaned back against the seat. She was so tired and so damned weak right now. All she really wanted to do was bury herself in her comfortable bed and sleep until she wasn't tired anymore. How she had hoped it was Damon next to her right now. She missed him.

He drove without undue speed, and, when they reached Elena's yard, he cut the motor and got out of the car without speaking. He didn't allow her any time to protest but carried her into the house.

Aunt Jenna looked anxious and worried but Stefan reassured her that Elena would be fine after she had some rest.

He deposited her on the twin-size bed that she slept on.

"What can I do to help?" he asked. "And don't give me that crap about not needing my help."

She looked up at him and gave him a fleeting smile. "Thank you, Stefan. You have already done a lot."

"You scared the hell out of me," he whispered. He grasped her hand in his and stared deeply into her eyes as his thumb traced a hypnotizing circle in her palm. The combination of his caress and his penetrating stare made Elena uncomfortably warm and she forced herself to pull her hand from his. He released it immediately.

"Why don't I get you something to drink?" He went out and shut the door behind him.

Elena sighed and leaned back against the pillow. Where were you, Damon? She thought. _Do you know how much I miss you?_

She looked up as she heard the clink of glass-on-glass and saw Stefan coming into the room with a tray in his hands.

"I don't know what you like," he grumbled as he put the tray on the bedside table and handed her the mug. He sounded cantankerous over the fact that there was something he didn't know. "Tea. Drink. I thought you might like some tea and toast. If you want an omelette or anything else, I will ask Aunt Jenna to fix it for you. I didn't think you would want a heavy meal."

"This is perfect," she said taking a sip of the scalding tea.

"Aunt Jenna said you like toast with butter."

"Yes, I do," she said accepting the plate that held a yummy looking toast, as he took away the mug.

"Is something wrong, Elena?"

Swallowing a bite of the delicious toast, Elena's eyes jerked up to his face in surprise. "No. Why did you say that?"

He shrugged and diverted his eyes. "You…you haven't been yourself lately."

"I'm…I'm okay," she stammered. She couldn't let Stefan know Damon was the reason she hadn't been herself lately. "I guess I'm worried about the end of semester exams."

"You are smart and hardworking, Elena. You have nothing to worry about," Stefan reassured her. "You will pass with flying colours."

"Thank you," she told him sincerely as she handed the plate back to him and he set it on the bedside table.

"You need to eat. And sleep." He touched the dark patches under her eyes softly with his index finger. "I have never been close enough to see how tired you look."

"I didn't eat much today," she murmured lightly, feeling warmed not only by the food, but by the concerned frown on Stefan's face. "I will feel well enough to go to school tomorrow."

He handed her the mug of tea. "Don't even think about it. Finish that and sleep."

Too tired to argue, Elena downed the tea and gave up the mug to his waiting hand. She would deal with everything later. Her eyes were drooping and exhaustion pressed on her body like weights. She needed to close her eyes.

Snuggling under the quilt, Elena sighed and rested her head on the pillow. For the first time in years, she felt comfortable and…safe. It felt good to know that Stefan cared. It felt good that Stefan was around. It was somehow…comforting.

With that strange thought rolling around in her mind, she slept.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 9 JULY 2016_

Damon held his phone away from his ear and waited for the dust to settle from Alaric's explosion about renegade agents and botched investigation. Even with a good foot between the phone and his ear, Alaric 's aggravation rang out loud and clear in the morning air.

"You don't check in for days," Alaric barked," and then when you finally do, it's to tell me that Marko nearly kidnapped her. You should have informed the DEA earlier. Let's get Elena Gilbert into protective custody."

"I didn't inform you because I don't want Marko knows the DEA is involved," he said when Alaric paused to take a breath. "If Marko knows the DEA is involved it will be harder for us to hunt him down."

In the years, the DEA had become increasingly aware of Marko's organisation, but they could never find any evidence that would stick. Marko had an uncanny ability to slip through any trap the DEA set for him.

Not this time. Marko would definitely want to get his money back. Damon swore he would catch Marko and put him away for a long, long time.

"What's the progress, then? Have you figured out where she hid Stefan's money yet?"

"Elena didn't hide anything."

"How can you sound so convinced?"

"I can't explain it," he admitted. "She says she doesn't know where they are, and I believe her."

The line was quiet for a few moments. Just when Damon thought he had lost the connection, Alaric finally spoke. "I don't know Elena Gilbert but I do know you. You have always had better instincts than any agent I have ever known. If you think the woman is a pawn in this whole thing, I have to trust you."

"But Marko still believes she has the money."

"That's why we should get her into protective custody."

"She will not agree to it," he said gruffly. "Elena will not agree to it."

"Marko will not give up," Alaric said. "She will be in danger. But the DEA can protect her."

He knew it. It was exactly what he should do, leave her safety in someone else's hands and move on to the next job. But the idea left a sour taste in his mouth. "She is safe here at the moment. I will make sure she is safe. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"I can't say I'm happy about this, Damon," his friend saying, "but I suppose I will have to trust you know what you are doing. You have to hurry up."

"I know."

"We can't waste more time on this."

"I know."

Alaric cleared his throat. "Elena Gilbert is not bad to look at. I'm sure that's a fact that wouldn't have escaped the eye of a sharp DEA agent like yourself."

He felt a muscle in his jaw twitched. "It's business, Alaric. Strictly business."

Alaric snorted. "Right. If you say so."

"I do."

"Is she the one?"

He frowned. "What?"

"Is she the one you fell in love ten years ago?"

"Mind your own business, Alaric," he warned. "Stay away from my private life."

A whistle whispered from Alaric's mouth. "I see why your past relationships didn't last. She is hot."

"Just shut up. I will let you know if I find something."

"Fine."

When the conversation was over, Damon pressed the end button on the phone, shoved it back into his pocket and then swore, long and viciously.

He was running out of time. Marko would strike again and he couldn't let this happen again. He had to get to Marko first. But he didn't have the first idea where to go from here.

His mood didn't improve when he came downstairs and found Elena getting ready to go to work. "What in the hell do you think you are doing?"

Elena jerked up at the sound of the booming voice, her foot only halfway into her second shoe. "I need to get to work."

His expression was disapproving. "You can't. You are injured."

"I'm fine. It's only a minor injury. Besides, if we need to find out where Stefan had hidden the money, I need to get to work."

"You are injured and you are staying here," he told her sternly. "You are not going back to the hospital."

"If Stefan didn't keep the money at the house, I suspect he may have hidden it in the hospital."

"You are not listening, Elena…"

"No, Damon. You listen to me." Her voice was serious. Dead serious. "We need to find out where Stefan had hidden the money. We need to stop Marko. He might still be getting his supply of drugs from the hospital."

He looked at her. "You are serious about this, aren't you?"

"I know what I signed up for, Damon and I'm all in."

"This can be dangerous, Elena."

"I know but I'm still going to do it."

There was a long silence.

"Okay, fine," Damon said after a while. "But we need to have a plan."

"I agree."

"You and Stefan had been together for a long time. You knew him better than anyone. Do you have any idea where we can start looking for his secrets?"

"Maybe," Elena said. "All the doctors working in Mystic Falls have a locker."

"A locker?"

"Yes. Management has asked me to clear out Stefan's locker but I haven't got onto it yet."

"Maybe this is where he hid one of his most important secrets," Damon said.


	11. Chapter 11

_MYSTIC FALLS 9 JULY 2016_

One hour later Damon helped Elena to clear the contents of Stefan's locker.

She glanced at the box as they walked out of the main entrance of Mystic Falls Hospital. "There is nothing suspicious inside Stefan's locker."

"We have to go through everything again. Can't miss any details," Damon said.

"All right."

They started across the parking lot. It was a bright sunny day, the sky was a soft shade of blue and there was a slight breeze in the air.

"What did you know about Luke?" Damon asked.

She thought about it for a moment. "Luke started working at the ER a few years ago. I heard from Stefan that he was from Hampton originally. Studied in University of Virginia and practised in Hampton for a year or two before coming to Mystic Falls."

"Family? Girlfriend?"

A Mazda abruptly veered into the parking lot. The vehicle was moving much too fast and it was coming straight at them.

Damon was already reacting. He seized Elena's arm and swept her into a protected zone created by two parked cars. The box she was carrying fell to the ground.

The Mazda slammed to a halt less than three feet away. There was just time enough to read the car's plate number before the driver's-side door shot open. A woman dressed in jeans, boots and a faded cotton shirt leaped out. She had long curly blonde hair and fair skin with a round face, dimple chin and bluish-greenish eyes. She ignored Damon and fixed her full attention on Elena.

"I heard you were already back to work," she said. Rage and long-smouldering pain seethed in the atmosphere around her. "I also heard someone attacked you a few nights ago. Sounds like whoever sticking around Stefan Salvatore long enough will get into trouble."

"Liv," Elena whispered, stunned from what Liv had said. "What do you mean?"

She was aware that Damon had gone ominously still. He stood very close and a little in front of her, partially shielding her with his body.

"Better be careful. People around Stefan Salvatore have a habit of dying."

"Take it easy," Damon said.

"My brother died because of your fiancé." Liv's voice rose. "Stefan Salvatore was a monster. My brother started gambling because of him. My brother is dead now because of him. Don't pretend you don't know anything about this, Elena Gilbert."

"That's enough," Damon said. This time he put an edge on his words. "Stop insulting my brother."

Liv gasped and stepped back, startled. "You are Stefan's brother?"

"Yes, I'm Damon. Stefan's brother," Damon said.

She turned quickly, searching the parking lot with an anxious expression, as if looking for something that might be coming up behind her. When she saw nothing, she burst into tears and turned back to face Elena.

"Stefan killed my brother!" she got out between sobs. "Your fiancé killed my brother."

She swung her hand in a vicious slap aimed at Elena's face. Damon moved slightly, just enough to get in the way of the blow. He absorbed the impact on one broad shoulder.

Liv whirled and fled back to the Mazda. She got behind the wheel and slammed the door shut. The vehicle careened out of the parking lot and shot off down the street.

Elena watched the taillights of the Mazda until they disappeared. Eventually, she allowed herself to take a breath. Damon clamped a powerful hand around her arm and drew her out from between the parked cars.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"Liv Taylor. Luke's sister." She drew a shaky breath. "She thinks Stefan was responsible for Luke's death."

"I got that impression," Damon said. "It looks like the relationship of Stefan and Luke is far more complicated than we have expected."

"I think so."

Damon leaned down and picked up the box. "What do you know about Liv?"

Elena leaned down to pick up the books on the ground. "She works in Mystic Falls Hospital. She is a nurse in one of the medical wards."

"Boyfriend?"

She shrugged. "I have no idea." She dropped the books inside the box. "I hardly know her."

"What about Luke? Girlfriend? Fiancée?" He got to his feet and helped Elena up. Then he picked up the box.

She shook her head. "I don't know."

Damon opened the passenger-side door of the SUV. Elena bounced up onto the seat. She watched him walk around the front of the vehicle, his expression was unreadable.

He opened the rear door, set the box on the floor and then opened the driver's-side door. When he got behind the wheel, Elena's senses stirred in response. It felt good to be here with him in the intimate confines of the SUV, she thought. Not just pleasant or comfortable. It was exciting, thrilling and, yes, a little dangerous.

The intense, intimate feeling that had flared between them that night after they slept together was getting more powerful and more unpredictable with every minute they spent together – at least it was on her side. She could feel it and it was hard to control it.

"What are we going to do next?" she asked.

"I need more information on Luke." Damon fired up the engine and drove out of the parking lot. "I will ask Enzo to do a background check on him."

"Enzo?"

"My buddy. He is also a DEA agent."

"You have hardly talked about your job."

"The DEA is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States. Not only is the DEA the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act, sharing concurrent jurisdiction with the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement also known as ICE, Homeland Security, and the U.S. Border Patrol. It has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations both domestic, and abroad," he said. "DEA employs over ten thousand people, including over five thousand Special Agents and 800 Intelligence Analysts."

She realised she didn't know a lot about him. "What makes you choose to become a DEA agent?"

"Challenging. When I was a kid, I had this dream of becoming a policeman so I could protect people, put my life on the line to rescue others, see that bad guys were caught and punished. Very idealistic. Even arrogant. But that's how I felt."

"Most little boys want to become policemen so they can play with the guns."

"Well, there was that," he admitted with a flash of a grin. "Not to mention the cool uniform you wear and you can get to ride in the police car." He chuckled. "All the macho stuff."

After a moment, she said, "You are passionate about this."

He gave a small shrug. "Passionate? Yeah, I guess. What about you?"

"Me?"

"Are you passionate for your work?"

She thought about her job. "Yes, I like my work. I love every minute of it."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You make your parents proud, Elena." _You make me proud too,_ he told himself.

She smiled. "Thank you."

Neither of them talked much afterwards.

"Have you thought about working in bigger cities like San Francisco or Washington DC?" Damon asked after a while.

Her reply was slow in coming. "Maybe."

Her hesitancy raised his eyebrows. "That sounds like a no to me."

She said nothing. How could she tell him that he was the reason she wanted to stay in Mystic Falls?

"Don't get me wrong. Mystic Falls is a great place. But with your skills and knowledge, I think you can have a more successful career in bigger cities."

He pulled the SUV directly in front of her house and gave her a long look. "You may have your reasons to stay in Mystic Falls but trust me, you will do a terrific job wherever you go."

She smiled. "I appreciate the confidence you have in me." She met his eyes. "Thank you."

x x x

Elena sat on the sofa, one leg curled under herself, and watched Damon going through the contents of Stefan's locker. He was sitting Indian fashion on the floor. It dawned on her that she liked to watch him, regardless of the task at hand—driving or cooking. She just liked to look at him.

She couldn't deny the fact she had spent the intervening years thinking about him, although her life had been fulfilling, the exception was her love life. She had a career she found interesting and challenging. She had good friends.

Damon somehow got under her skin and she couldn't shake him. She had always found him intriguing when she first met him. Ten years ago she did worry about the age difference between them. She was an adult now. The age difference between them was no longer an obstacle. And she found him even more fascinating than he had been all those years ago.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

"Nothing particular stands out at the moment," Damon answered. He scanned through a pile of papers. "There are some medical articles and letters from the hospital but nothing suspicious so far."

"Do you think Stefan could have an offshore account somewhere?"

"I doubt it," he said. "If there is an offshore account, there will be bank statements or some transactions but we couldn't find any so far. Unless…"

"What?" she asked curiously.

"There is another person involved besides Stefan and Luke."

A cold chill iced her blood. "You think there is another person who knows about Stefan's deal with Marko?"

Damon nodded. "It is possible."

"Who would that be?"

"It's my assumption. I could be wrong." He dropped the pile of papers on the coffee table. "They took Stefan's computer when they broke into the house the other night. But I'm sure they didn't find whatever they were after on his computer."

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred per cent," he said. "Otherwise Marko wouldn't come after you."

"He believes I know where the money is." She shuddered. "But I don't have a clue where Stefan had kept the money."

"I know."

She stopped talking. For a time, Damon flipping through the contents of the box was the only sound in the room.

"I haven't heard you talk about your girlfriend," she said.

The question came out of nowhere, catching him off guard.

"It ended more than a year ago," he answered.

"Oh. What went wrong?"

He looked at her and went with the truth. "What do you think?"

Her mouth opened but no words emerged. She realised he meant her. Her speechless condition gave him some satisfaction, but not much.

Silence stretched between them.

"Stefan and you were engaged for more than a year." Damon asked suddenly. "Why didn't you two get married straight away? Don't you think something was seriously wrong?

Now he had put her on the defensive.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, going for a little chill in her tone. "A lot of engagements last a year or longer. A long engagement gives two people an opportunity to make sure they are right for each other."

Damon looked unconvinced. "But you two have been together for a very long time."

"Yes, well, it turns out I don't really know Stefan well enough despite we had been together for a very long time."

"Miss Stefan?"

She exhaled slowly. "A little. But I'm kind of confused now."

He raised his brows. "Confused?"

She hesitated. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes.

"I thought I know Stefan," she said. "But obviously I'm wrong."

"Don't do that do yourself, Elena," he said fiercely. "Life doesn't change but people do. So learn to accept that not everybody is who thought you knew."

She gave him a faint smile. "I understand."

He shifted his attention back to the box. A few seconds later, he took out a matchbox from the box.

"A matchbox," he said.

Elena uncoiled and sat forward on the sofa, trying to take a closer look at the matchbox.

"Stefan didn't smoke. Why on earth would he…" she stopped.

"There are words on this matchbox," he said.

"Wild Fire Bar," she read out loud. "Why would Stefan keep a matchbox from the Wild Fire Bar?"

Damon stared at the matchbox. "I think that's what we need to figure out."

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 10 JULY 2016_

The bar was thumping with loud music and the crowd was shoulder to shoulder. Damon stood alone, an island of calm in a roiling sea of bodies. He watched as a couple of ladies passed by, dressed in sexy low cut dresses. They were trying to catch his eye and normally he would make their day by flirting a little, giving them the impression they stood a chance but today wasn't that day.

He wasn't here to socialize.

He walked towards the bar and took a seat.

"Can I get you something, sir?"

The bar tender flashed her brilliant white teeth at him. Her hair was dark amber brown. She appeared to be hovering between her twenties and her thirties but age could be deceptive, especially to a man.

"Bourbon on ice," he answered.

A few minutes later she returned with a glass of bourbon. "Here you go. Let me know if you want another drink." She turned to walk away.

"Wait. Actually, I would like something."

She smiled brightly at him. "What can I do for you, handsome?"

He reached into his shirt pocket and drew out a colour photograph. "Recognise the face?" Deliberately he placed it on the bar table between them, and then he waited.

The woman stared down at the photo of Stefan. "Yeah. Stefan."

"Do you know him?"

"He is a regular customer here."

"When did you last see him?"

"Probably a month ago."

"Did he come here by himself normally? Have you ever seen anyone with him?"

The woman's brows rose. "You are asking a lot of questions. Who are you?"

"Actually, I'm a friend." He leaned in closer and squinted at her name tag, "Gloria, I would really appreciate your help."

"Ivy might be able to help you."

"Ivy?"

"Yeah. Ivy works here as a bar tender as well. She and Stefan hit it off pretty good."

"Where's Ivy? Is she working today?"

"She doesn't work on Sunday. She will be back to work tomorrow."

"Any chance you know her address?"

"I know she lives around town but not sure of the exact place." She reached out and stroked his hand. "So, I have answered your questions. Now what do I get in return?"

He smirked at her. "What do you want, honey?"

Her gaze dropped to his lips and a slow smile appeared on her face. "Why don't we continue our conversation somewhere else? My place is just around the corner…"

"He isn't going anywhere." An annoyed female voice reverberated behind Damon surprising him enough that he had nearly knocked over his glass.

Startled because someone had approached him from behind, Damon turned and found Elena dressed in sleek-fitting jeans and a plaid shirt. Her expression was grim.

She perched on the stool next to him, took his glass of bourbon and tossed the liquor down. "I will have another drink. But this man is going to pay for it."

He narrowed his eyes on her, but said nothing.

Gloria glared at Elena. "Coming right up." She forced the words through a fake smile. She grabbed a glass, dumped in a scoop of ice, and filled it with bourbon. "Here you go."

"We will let you know if we need anything else," Elena said coldly.

"Fine." Gloria pulled out her phone and gave Damon a sweet smile. "I will need your number if we are going to continue our conversation."

Before Damon could respond, Elena put a one hundred dollar bill on the table and grabbed his wrist. "We are out of here. Move. Now."

"Hey, wait!" Gloria called after them as Elena practically half-dragged and half-pushed Damon out of the bar.

Elena steered him in the direction of her SUV parked outside the bar. He didn't resist. When they reached her SUV, Damon leaned down and said, "Care to tell me what's going on?"

She released his wrist immediately. "You shouldn't have come here by yourself." Her eyes hardened as she said, "What's this about investigating on your own? I'm part of this as well!"

He raised one shoulder in a deliberately careless shrug. "I don't see that I have much option."

"But you promise I could help you!" she exclaimed.

His mouth thinned. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah."

"This is a really, really dumb idea, Elena. Stay out of it. Let me do my job."

She watched him just as steadily as he watched her. Damned if she would let him intimidate her, she thought.

"How are you going to do your job?" she said bitterly. "By flirting with a bar tender?"

"I have my way when it comes to getting the information I want," he said. "What do you know about being an investigator?"

He folded his arms across his chest. He did not try to conceal his irritation.

"And what information have you obtained by turning on your famous Damon Salvatore's charm?"

"You sound like a jealous wife," he said a glimmer of the humorous mischief that danced in his eyes.

"No, I'm not," she shot back.

"Yes, you are," he insisted. "You didn't like Gloria because I was flirting with her."

"I'm not jealous of her!" she almost shouted.

"Then prove it."

She startled. "What?"

"Prove to me that you aren't jealous."

She shook her head. "You are crazy."

"You are jealous because I'm flirting with another woman." He took one step closer to her. "You have feelings for me. That's why you are jealous."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Sure you do," he said. "Otherwise prove it. Kiss me."

She went still. "What?"

"Kiss me. Prove to me you feel nothing for me," he told her. "You shouldn't be afraid if you don't feel anything for me."

"I…I…" she said tremulously. "This is silly."

"Just admit you have feelings for me, sweetheart."

"I'm not your sweetheart!"

He laughed, surprised and amused by her retort. He liked her, stiff shoulders and all. "Now now, you certainly look like a jealous wife, honey!"

She made a choked sound of fury.

"You are jealous because you still have feelings for me. You are a liar, Elena. And you are lying to me, and you are lying to Stefan, and, most of all, you are lying to yourself…"

His words cut off because she surged forward and put her hands on his cheeks, pulling his mouth in against hers. Her lips brushed his, and then he felt the barest flicker of tongue against his mouth.

Damon had been so surprised at her impulsive move that he hadn't had time to anticipate the feel of her mouth against his. He was surprised by the utter softness of her lips, the sweet, delicious give to her mouth as it parted against his own. Her hands were cold against his cheeks, which made the warmth of her lips even more of a contrast. And those impressive breasts were pressing up against his chest.

He had been so startled that he hadn't been able to respond at first, and she took his lack of response as some sort of challenge, he guessed, because she gently sucked on his lower lip, coaxing his mouth open.

He parted for her, and her tongue slipped into his mouth, dancing against his own. Delicate but determined, she stroked against his lips with the tip of her tongue, outlining the seam of his mouth before sliding the tip inside and rubbing it against his tongue.

Goddamn, Elena's mouth was amazing. This woman could kiss. More than that, she kissed like a demon. Like she knew she was in charge and she was putting him in his place.

Her tongue stroked against his once more, boldly, and then retreated. "

"Mmm," he groaned when she gave a small sigh of pleasure and began to stroke her tongue into his mouth again. He slid his tongue along hers. She gave a little start when he began to respond, but then she yielded against him, and their mouths began to meld in a sensual interplay.

The kiss was incredible. Her soft tongue dancing along his, her sweet mouth parted, her lips joined to his. She tasted delicious, too—warm and like honey. Damon needed more of her. His hands moved to her hips, close to her ass but not quite touching it. He knew if he grabbed at her, she would flee, and he wanted more of this.

His hands anchored at her waist, holding her against him. His whole body had stirred at the wet thrust of her kiss, and within moments he was as hard as a rock. The press of those full breasts against his chest were almost as distracting as the slide of her tongue into his mouth.

After a moment, she pulled away with a small whimper, her mouth gleaming wet in the moonlight. She looked up at him with dazed eyes. "Pretty sure that was a good proof."

He groaned, leaning in toward her mouth again. "Damn the proof."

She leaned just as far away from him, her nose wrinkling as if displeased. "No. You want a proof and you have gotten the proof."

And he was…a bit stumped. Wasn't she enjoying the kiss as much as he was? She had sighed with pleasure. Her lips and tongue had been enthusiastic against his own. She had pressed against him. And now that she had gotten him all worked up . . . she was done? He growled low in his throat. "You want to kiss me as badly as I do."

"No," she said, and slid out of his grasp, taking a step backward. "This was just because you want a proof. And now you have the proof. I'm not jealous."

Somehow he doubted that. Damon hadn't missed that little jolt she had made when he had begun to tongue her back, or the little groan of response she had made. But if she wanted to play games with him, that was fine. "Whatever you say," he forced out in a casual voice. "I know there is something going on between us and it isn't finished."

Elena ignored him. "I'm leaving," she said in a prim voice. "If you want a lift, shut up and get inside."

And she whirled and moved to the driver side, opened the door and climbed inside.

Damon rubbed his lips, still feeling the slick warmth from their kiss, and grinned. Elena might claim to be unaffected, but he would bet money that it was a lie. There was a lot more underneath the surface than that girl let on.

And damn it all if he wasn't interested in finding out more. Now he needed to think of more ways to get that impulsive, fierce little hothead to show up once more.

x x x

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Lord, I was in way over my head._

 _I basically raced back to the house after I got out of the SUV. My breath was coming fast and my legs felt wobbly and weak. It didn't make me stop, though—she raced up the wooden steps to the porch and flung open the door, crashing into the house._

 _Aunt Jenna glanced out of the living room, seated on the sofa. She looked concerned but I reassured her I was okay. I was such a liar, wasn't I?_

 _If I had to admit it to myself, the kiss was…wonderful. Damon smelled so good and he was such a great kisser_.

 _I remembered clearly what his reaction was after the kiss. His hand was lifted to his mouth and, as I watched, I could have sworn he was rubbing his lips._

 _It made a quiver erupt deep in my belly. There was no doubt he had been affected by the kiss._

 _Stefan just died._

 _Stefan just died, and I had gone and kissed another man. What was wrong with me?_

 _I'm supposed to help Damon to investigate Stefan's death. But instead, I had ended up kissing Damon. Again._

 _I was infuriated when Damon asked me to prove that I didn't feel anything for him. Of course I feel something for him. I didn't tell him because I couldn't. It wasn't right. It was wrong. I shouldn't have feelings for another man when I was engaged to Stefan._

 _Yes, I was jealous when I saw Damon flirting with the bar tender. I hated the way he smiled at her. I hated the way she looked at him._

 _When Damon asked me to kiss him, I should have told him no. But I continued his stupid, silly game. What was I trying to prove? I'm immune to Damon? I'm not!_

 _The kiss was…incredibly amazing. I had a wild, sick little butterfly of excitement in my stomach when he asked me to kiss him._

 _It had been so incredibly naughty. It was something that the good Elena Gilbert would never do…unless forced. And somehow because the control had been out of my hands, I had wanted to do it. Not only that, but I had wanted to prove to Damon that he wasn't the only one who could take someone by surprise. So I had taken the plunge and kissed him._

 _To make thing worse, I had enjoyed the kiss. I had. Oh, I had. I had always enjoyed kissing Damon. That butterfly of excitement returns, low in my belly with just thinking about the kiss. His lips had been soft and full, and he had tasted so good. And he knew how to kiss. When his tongue had begun to stroke back against my tongue, I was completely lost._

 _He had liked the kiss, too. I could tell that my aggressiveness had startled him in the beginning, and then he had appreciated it. It had stroked my ego, to have this arrogant man taken down a peg by my kiss. I was kind of thrilled by it._

 _I would really, really want to continue kissing Damon. For a brief moment in time, I had wanted to forget everything and sink down to the floor of the dock and make love to Damon because he excited the part of me that I tried so hard to wrestle into control._

 _But I know I can't._


	12. Chapter 12

_MYSTIC FALLS 2 MAY 2006_

"Thanks for going over the lectures that I had missed last week," Elena said. "I really appreciate your help, Stefan."

"No problem." Stefan smiled at her. "I'm using this as a way for revision."

Elena had finally got back to school after staying in bed for the whole weekend. Stefan had suggested that they went over the lectures she had missed at the Grill after school.

She settled back against the seat. "I can actually ask Caroline to help me with the homework and assignments."

"I really don't mind," Stefan said. "As I said, by going over the lectures, you are actually helping me in my own revision."

She smiled back at him. "Thank you."

All this time, she knew Stefan had been a wonderful friend. She thought a friendship with him would be safe and harmless. Particularly when her relationship with Damon was…how would she describe her relationship with Damon? Sadly, she didn't know how to describe it in words.

Stefan had made no secret of his attraction to her. And although, the intensity frightened her a little, it had been like a soothing balm to her.

"Hey, would you like to go for a movie?" Stefan asked.

 _You won't be asking me out if you know I had kissed your brother_ , she thought. "I don't know. End of semester exams is around the corner. I should spend more time studying."

"You work too hard, Elena. You need to relax once in a while. Remember?"

"Of course I remember."

"Then let's go for a movie this weekend."

Before Elena could say further a familiar voice rumbled into the Grill.

"Well, if it isn't the SOB who thinks he's the king of Mystic Falls." Kai slurred most of the s's and there were a lot of them in the sentence, but his meaning was clear. "And will you look at that, Trevor? He's having a date with Miss Goody Two-Shoes. Isn't that sweet?"

The customers at the other tables did not look toward the pair in the doorway. Everyone pretended to concentrate on their food. But Stefan knew that the crowd was listening intently to every word. The tension was suddenly so thick he could have carved it into topiary shapes.

"You were right," Stefan said quietly. He did not bother to glance at Kai and Trevor either. "Time to go."

"Leaving so soon Salvatore?" Kai bellowed. "Don't be shy. Everyone knows she's been screwing your brains."

Stefan stood up very slowly. Elena could see the tension in his jaw as he stared at Kai.

The room fell silent. None of the customers moved so much as a finger. Everyone waited for the other shoe to drop.

Stefan looked at Kai. "You don't want to say anything more, Kai."

But it was obvious that Kai was too drunk to worry about consequences.

"You think you can threaten me?" Kai stalked closer, hands clenched at his sides. "You really think I'm gonna put up with that kind of shit from a Salvatore again?"

"Stefan, don't," Elena pleaded softly. "Why don't we leave?"

"I'm not takin' any crap off you, Salvatore. You brother tried to scare me off. But I'm not scared of you."

"Let's go," Elena said to Stefan.

"Fine by me." Stefan started around the table.

"Something me and Trevor, here, been wondering about, Salvatore." Kai came to a halt, blocking the path to the door. He leered. "Is she hot in bed? Did you sleep with her first or your brother?"

Stunned, Elena gasped at Kai's words. Stefan moved around the comer of the table.

"Stefan, don't," she pleaded again. "Can we get out of here?"

"I want you to apologise to Elena," Stefan said, coming to a halt directly in front of Kai. "Say sorry and I will let you go."

"Shut your mouth, Salvatore," Kai roared. "Listen carefully. I'm not going to apologise. Say one more word and I'll rip your head off your shoulders and use it for a cue ball."

"Think so?"

"Hey, nobody cares if you're screwing Miss Goody Two-Shoes. Nobody gives a shit about your sex life, Salvatore."

"Except you, apparently, Kai," Stefan said. "But maybe that's because my sex life is a lot more interesting than yours."

Kai turned purple, drew his head into his shoulders in the manner of a large turtle, and lumbered forward. He was surprisingly fast for a man of his size and bulk. The old football training, Stefan figured.

"Oh my God!" Elena cried out.

Stefan did not move until the last instant. Then he sidestepped the ferocious charge. Kai still had speed, but his manoeuvrability was shot. He blundered straight on, past the point where Stefan had stood a second earlier, and crashed into the table. He folded over and went face down on the table.

"Stefan, no!" she yelled.

Stefan ignored her. He grabbed hold of one beefy shoulder. There was no need to try to haul Kai erect. He came up off the table, one massive fist already arcing through the air.

Stefan ducked the blow and slammed both clenched hands into Kai's midsection. It was like hitting a very solid pillow. The impact felt good, but it didn't do much damage. Stefan stepped back hurriedly, shaking his numbed hand.

Okay, maybe that had been a mistake.

Fortunately, Kai was off balance, thanks to too many beers and the collision with the table. When he charged a second time, flailing wildly, Stefan stuck out a foot. Kai obligingly tripped and went down with a crashing thud that shook the floor.

Trevor squealed, and launched himself at Stefan.

"Stefan, look out!" Elena shouted.

Stefan swung around and punched Trevor in the chest. Trevor fell back against a table.

The Grill exploded in a firestorm of shouts.

Stefan turned back, searching for Kai amid the swarm of sweating, heaving bodies.

"Son of a bitch, Salvatore." Kai had managed to get up off the floor. He threw himself at Stefan.

Stefan moved out of the way and came up against Tyler, who had wandered into the Grill. The two went down together and rolled under a table.

"Stefan!" Elena screamed. "Somebody please stop them!"

Stefan untangled himself from Tyler and came out from under the table in a low rush. He tackled Kai and they both went down, rolling in a small river of spilled beer.

Fred, the owner of the Grill, picked up the phone. The sheriff and two other officers arrived ten minutes later.

Shortly before midnight Stefan and Elena stood with Caroline in the parking lot that fronted the Mystic Falls Police Department.

"I gotta say, this is a real red-letter occasion for me." Caroline tossed her keys into the air and caught them. "Never thought I would see the day when I had to pick up Stefan Salvatore, the 'Golden Boy' of Mystic Falls at the police station. To say nothing of Elena Gilbert."

"I owe you this, Caroline." Stefan put a cautious hand to his jaw.

"It won't happen if you could control your temper," Elena muttered, "Nothing would happen if you ignored Kai."

"You are going to look very colourful tomorrow," Caroline said, amused.

"You know, neither of us is in the mood for this." Stefan gave her a sour look. "The only thing we want from you right now is a lift back to the Grill so that we can pick up our cars. Think you can manage that without further comment?"

"No," Caroline said. "You want a ride, you have got to put up with the witty remarks."

"Please, Caroline," Elena pleaded softly. "I'm not really up for this anymore."

"Okay, it's my fault." Stefan turned back to Caroline. "Drive."

"My pleasure." Caroline led the way across the parking lot to where she had left her car.

At that moment, another vehicle swung into the lot, briefly dazzling Stefan's eyes with its headlights. It came to an abrupt halt nearby. Zach Salvatore's black BMW.

"The perfect end to a delightful evening," Stefan said to no one in particular. "It just doesn't get any better than this, does it?"

They all watched the door on the driver's side snap open. Zach shot out of the front seat. His expression was grim in the yellow glow of the street lamp.

"No,"" Caroline said. "It sure doesn't. Oh man, am I ever glad I'm not in your shoes, Stefan. All I can say is good luck."

Zach rushed toward them around the hood of the black BMW.

"I just had a phone call from the sheriff. Something about a tavern brawl. Tell me there's been some terrible mistake."

"There's been a mistake, all right," Stefan said. "Everyone is fine."

"Are you both all right?" he asked.

"Sure," Stefan said. "We are fine. Nobody is hurt."

"Stefan's right. We are fine," Elena said obligingly.

"They are fine," Caroline assured Zach.

Zach ignored Caroline. "What happened? How did the fight start?"

"Kai Parker started it," Stefan said. He glanced at Elena. "I had to protect Elena."

"Yeah," Elena said softly. "Kai was the cause."

Caroline nodded. "Kai Parker."

"You weren't even there when it happened, Caroline. How do you know?"

"You got a situation involving Mean Kai and Dickhead Trevor and you know who started it," Caroline explained.

"They are bullies," Stefan said.

"Stefan was trying to…" Elena wanted to explain but Zach hushed her with a raised palm and turned back to Stefan.

"What was the fight about?"

Stefan shrugged. "Bar fight. They happen. Elena and I were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Suspicion gleamed in his eyes. He turned to Elena.

"Tavern brawls are sort of like whirlwinds and tornadoes," Caroline said seriously. "Forces of nature. They erupt out of nowhere for no known cause."

He stared at Elena. "Do I get an answer from you?"

"It's not Stefan's fault. Kai started it," Elena answered.

He looked at Stefan again.

"Okay. I know I shouldn't fight back," Stefan said. "I promise it won't happen again, Uncle Zach."

Zach planted his hands on his hips. "Boy, you know I'm supposed to look after you while your brother is away. I had called Damon. He said he would be back this weekend. You will explain to him when he is back."

Elena went still. "Damon is coming back?"

"Yes, he is," Zach replied. "You girls should go home. It's late now."

"Caroline is giving us a lift back to the Grill so that we can pick up our cars," Stefan said. "Why don't you go home, Uncle Zach? I will be fine."

Zach narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I will call you once I'm at home," Stefan said.

Caroline yawned. "Hey, let's go. It's late. I'm tired."

"Fine. Call me as soon as you are at home," Zach ordered.

Ten minutes later, Caroline dropped them off at the Grill.

"I will see you guys tomorrow at school," she said. "Good night."

Stefan followed Elena back to where she parked Aunt Jenna's car.

"There was no need to see me to my car. It's late. You should go home." She opened the car door.

"It's after midnight and I can't let you walk to your car by yourself."

"I will be fine. You should go home now. Your Uncle Zach is probably waiting for your call."

"I will go once I know you are inside the car. Safe."

"Stefan, you don't have to do this," she said softly.

He reached out and touched her arm. "Kai mentioned something about Damon trying to scare him off. Can you tell me what had happened?"

Elena looked at him. She bit her lower lip, not certain what to say.

"Did Kai hurt you? Bastard!" He rasped. "I should have killed him just now."

"No!" she exclaimed. "He didn't hurt me. He…he was just making fun of me and Damon happened to be around…" she stuttered because she knew she was lying. She had to because she didn't want Stefan to confront Kai again. "Damon just warned him to stay away from me."

He exhaled deeply. "I'm so glad Kai didn't hurt you. I won't let him hurt you."

"Stefan, you should have ignored him tonight." She tipped her head a little. "You know Kai and Trevor are bullies."

"I won't allow him to say bad things about you. Not a single word."

Her expression softened. "Stefan…"

"You are one remarkable person, do you know that?" he said, his voice gruff.

Her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink. "I'm not."

"I think you are," he said. "You are special." Without taking his gaze off her, he took a step closer. "I care about you, Elena. You mean everything to me. I promise I will do my best to protect you."

"Stefan…"

He leaned forward and shushed her with a slow, deep kiss, careful not to touch her. If he put his hands on her, he thought, he might not be able to take them off again.

She did not retreat. He felt a little shudder go through her. When he lifted his mouth, he saw that her lips were soft and parted.

"You must be tired," he said. "Drive carefully. Text me when you reach home safely, okay?"

She drew in a shaky breath. "Okay." She was still surprised from the kiss which happened a few seconds ago.

He reached up to touch her cheek very lightly with his fingertips. "I will see you at school tomorrow. Good night, Elena."

"Good night, Stefan."

She got inside the car and drove away. She saw Stefan got inside his car from her rear mirror. She had no idea what to do. Stefan kissed her. And she had allowed him to kiss her. She should have told him no but she didn't. It felt like she had fallen into a big black hole and she couldn't figure out how to climb back out of the hole she had just dug for herself.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 11 JULY 2016_

Elena woke up the next morning, curled on her side of the king bed. She had slept on top of the covers, fully dressed, and vaguely remembered dozing off while she had been wrapped up in her own turbulent thoughts. She rubbed her face, then changed into a new set of clothes for the day—a plain green crew-neck tank top and her favourite tights. She splashed a bit of water on her face, then used her wet hands to smooth her hair into a high ponytail. Then, she headed downstairs.

The house was silent, and Elena crept down the hall, wondering where everyone was. Was she the first one awake? She supposed she should make breakfast if that was the case. Surely she couldn't mess up toast.

She passed through the living room and then headed towards the kitchen.

The sight that greeted her there made her stop in her tracks.

His massive back was turned to her, muscles rippling and shoulders moving as Damon reached for something in one of the cabinets. The jeans he wore were black, but they were also incredibly tight across his firm ass and low enough that they showed the indent of his lower back. His feet were bare.

He turned and glanced at her as she stood in the doorway, petrified, and he gave her another one of those lazy, smug smiles. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Morning," she whispered back. "You are up early. I didn't realize anyone else was in here. What are you doing in here?"

"I'm hungry. Can't sleep."

She padded to his side, crossing her arms over her chest, and studied the counter space in front of him. There was a bowl of beaten eggs, another bowl full of pancake batter, and he had a stack of washed potatoes in front of him. "What's all this? Don't tell me you have decided to cook again?"

"Someone's got to do it," he said with a lopsided grin. "I don't think Aunt Jenna is awake yet."

"You are a guest. You shouldn't be cooking breakfast for us," she admitted. "I feel bad about it."

"Don't feel bad," he told her. "You can always repay me." He winked at her. "A kiss would do."

She smacked his arm and picked up one of the potatoes. "You want me to peel these?"

"I don't know." He leaned against the counter and gazed down at her. "Think you will mess it up?"

She glared at him. "I have some skill, you know."

"Oh, I know that," he drawled, and it made a blush creep up her cheeks. She bit her lip when that crazy flutter began in her belly again. "But I was talking about potatoes."

She rolled her eyes and took the peeler from him, then grabbed a few potatoes and headed over to the garbage can. "I will peel while you cook."

"Suit yourself," he told her, handing her the rest of the potatoes. He pulled out a skillet and set it on the stove top, then began to flip a few of the dials with the casual expertise of someone who had cooked plenty of meals.

"You still enjoy cooking."

He shrugged casually. "Yes, I do. But cooking for one is not particularly inspiring." He opened the refrigerator and took out some bacon. "I have always liked sharing a meal with someone." He pulled out a knife from a nearby block. "What about you? Ever cooked a meal for Stefan?"

She looked up very quickly.

"Don't bother to answer." He laid a couple of strips of bacon in the pan. "It's none of my business."

She finished peeling the potato and tossed it on the counter and then grabbed the next one. "I can't cook." She hesitated. Then shrugged. "If we decide to eat at home, Stefan would normally cook."

"Hmm." He finished laying bacon in the pan and then closed it up, returning it to the fridge. "I found out something last night. It's about Stefan."

Elena's eyes widened. "What!? What did you find? Why didn't you tell me earlier? What is—ouch!" A sharp burst of pain blossomed in her finger and blood welled. She had missed the potato and scraped her finger.

Damon plucked the potato from her hand, tossing it in the sink. "You are bleeding!"

Before she could protest, he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her onto the counter next to the sink, as if she weighed nothing. Her jaw dropped. When he tugged her hand free from the fist she had clenched it in, she allowed him to examine her wound, staring at him in dazed confusion.

He calmly turned on the water and ran her finger under the tap, fingers on her wrist. With his free hand, he pulled open a drawer and grabbed a box of Band-Aids, tugging one out. "You are never cooking in the kitchen again, Elena" he said. "It's too dangerous. You don't know how to look after yourself." He glanced up at her through surprisingly thick lashes. "And around me, you seem to be completely lost."

"I am not," she said in a soft voice, but he did have a point. She worked so hard to be controlled and efficient in all areas of her life, but this man seemed to undo all her efforts in the blink of an eye.

He turned off the water. Another drop of blood welled up on her finger even as he grabbed the Band-Aid from the counter. "It's still bleeding," she pointed out.

Damon leaned in and swiped his tongue over the small wound, licking it clean, and then slid the Band-Aid over it while she sat, frozen and in shock. Heat pulsed low in her belly at that small, impulsive gesture. She squeezed her thighs tight again.

"You shouldn't have done that," she breathed, surprised at how husky her voice was.

He glanced over at her, his gaze moving to her mouth, then back to her eyes. "Why is that?"

"I could have a disease."

That cocky grin spread across his face again. "You? What kind of disease could you have, Dr Gilbert? STD?"

She blushed. "I could have slept with different men in the past ten years." she blurted. A split-second later, she was horrified that those words had come out of her mouth.

"I don't believe you," Damon told her, leaning close. His warm, musky scent filled her nostrils and her breathing started to speed up as he moved in. She thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, or touch her, or something, and that fluttering in her belly went wild with need, her pulse pounding at a spot between her legs that made her entire body ache.

But all he did was offer her a hand to help her down from the counter. She took it, hopped down, and then looked up at him in confusion.

"Bacon's burning," is all he said, turning back to the stove. "You can pour the coffee."

"Okay." She whirled around and seized the pot.

Damon removed the bacon strips from the pan and placed them on a plain, white plate. Then he pulled out another skillet and set it out on the stove. "Hope you like scrambled eggs."

"Scrambled eggs are great." She took a seat at the table and sipped at her coffee. "You said you found out something about Stefan."

He paused briefly before turning his attention back to the scrambled eggs. "Stefan was a regular customer of the Wild Fire Bar."

She gazed at him in disbelief. "I have never heard him mentioned about the bar."

"It's strange, isn't it? Why did Stefan travel a few hours out of town to go to this bar?" He slid the scrambled eggs onto one of the plates on the counter. "Why did he keep this from you?"

"I don't know." Some of the frustration slithered back. "Obviously, your brother liked keeping secrets from me."

A muscled twitched along his jawline. "Maybe he couldn't let anyone know about this bar."

"Do you think Stefan used the bar as a meeting place?" she asked.

"It's possible."

"What else did you find out?"

"Ivy."

"Ivy?"

"Yes. Ivy is another bar tender." He paused for only a moment, then continued. "Apparently, Stefan and Ivy were pretty close."

Elena's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Don't get mad about this. I'm only quoting Gloria's words. Stefan and Ivy hit it off pretty fast."

She caught her breath. "They were lovers?"

"That's what Gloria said."

Elena felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Her face leached of all colour.

"Oh my God!" She stood up and covered her forehead with her right hand, fighting tears. "Stefan…Oh my God!"

Damon turned off the gas stove and turned to face her. "Elena, listen. It may not be true."

"Are you telling me that Stefan was seeing Ivy behind my back?"

"Elena, you have to calm down."

"Stefan and Ivy were lovers." Her voice climbed to a shout as all her pent-up anger came spurting out. "They were lovers! You want me to calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?"

As quickly as it had come, her anger dissipated, and suddenly she was weeping. "How am I supposed to calm down? Stefan and I were engaged. And he was seeing another woman behind my back."

"Aw. Elena. Hell." Through her grief and anger, she felt his arms went around her.

She sniffed into his shirtfront. "Stefan was seeing Ivy behind my back."

Keeping her cradled against his chest, he waited for her to work through her choking pain. He said nothing. He held her, just held her.

Only after she had drawn in several long, shudder-free breaths did he low request rumble in her ear.

"You okay?"

Elena lifted her head. "How long had they been together?"

He looked at her – through her – for a long moment.

How long had Stefan been seeing Ivy? His mind racing. He had realised he didn't know his little brother. Stefan was a stranger to him.

He focused on the face turned up to his. Tears had clumped her dark lashes and left damp traces on her cheeks. Her mouth, that warm, generous sexy mouth he had tasted yesterday and dreamed about most of the night, had thinned with pain.

When he thought of all the lies Stefan had said to her, his heart ached. He lifted a hand and brushed a damp strand of hair from her cheek.

"I don't know, Elena," he told her, quietly. "But Ivy may know some of Stefan's secrets. Now that I know where she works, I figure we need to pay her a visit."


	13. Chapter 13

_MYSTIC FALLS 12 JULY 2016_

"I have nothing to do with Stefan's death," Ivy shrieked. "I swear it. We are just drinking buddies, that's all, honest."

Damon winced and glanced uneasily at the wall that divided Ivy's apartment from the one next door. The ex-factory had been constructed as cheap housing and it was obvious that no one had worried much about sound insulation.

Ivy's small studio apartment was crammed. There were several oversized cushions and a single chair. The bed was unmade. A half-full bag of potato chips was propped against the computer. Magazines were scattered across the desk. The closet door was open. Damon could see several pairs of shoes and boots tumbled on the floor. A red leather jacket hung over the back of a chair.

Ivy had looked startled to find them in the hall outside her apartment, but she had allowed them inside without protest. She had been drinking a can of cola and had tentatively offered her visitors some. The idea of drinking pop at that hour of the morning sent a shudder through Damon, but he had declined politely. Each to his or her own source of caffeine, he thought.

Damon had explained in a very firm voice that they needed to speak with her about an important matter.

Her initial nervousness had turned to outright alarm when Damon had confronted her with the death of Stefan. Panic had set in immediately.

Damon knew he had been right. Ivy wasn't what anyone would call a hardened criminal.

"I realize you didn't have anything to do with Stefan's death." Damon sat in the chair at the desk. "But I want to know your relationship with Stefan."

"Stefan was a regular customer of the Wild Fire Bar," Ivy said. "I know him for more than a year."

"Did Stefan go to the bar alone?" Elena asked.

"Sometimes but most of the time he would come to the bar with Luke," Ivy answered.

"What do you know about Luke?" Damon asked.

"Not much, except that he and Stefan seemed to be buddies," Ivy said. "Look, I'm a bar tender. Stefan was a regular customer of mine. We drank and had fun together. That's all."

Damon narrowed his eyes. "That's all? Did you know about Luke's gambling?"

Ivy twisted restlessly on her chair. "I don't know."

"You know about Luke's gambling, don't you?" Damon asked. "You had seen him gambled with other customers in the bar, hadn't you?"

Ivy froze, a terrified rabbit confronting a predator. Being the bad cop wasn't as much fun as the television shows made it appear, Damon thought.

But her reaction told him that he had hit the nail on the head. He had to keep going forward or risk giving her time to recover and think up a story.

"Gloria told me a lot of the customers at the bar gamble," he said. "Poker games. Luke likes Poker games."

"Well…most of our customers play Poker in the bar. Luke and Stefan aren't exceptional but Luke seems to be big fans of Poker. He gambles big money."

"Did you sleep with Luke?" Damon asked.

Ivy blinked. "What?"

"Did you sleep with Luke?" Damon repeated.

"Of course not!" Ivy almost shouted.

"But you slept with Stefan," Elena said. "Am I right?"

Ivy stilled. "It's my business, not yours right?"

Elena exhaled slowly. "My guess is correct then. You slept with Stefan."

Ivy swallowed. "I won't deny I find Stefan attractive. Stefan told me he liked me. It was convenient and uncomplicated between us."

Damon frowned. "Convenient and uncomplicated?"

Ivy nodded. "We knew what the other was able to give and demanded nothing more. As far as Stefan was concerned. Passion was based on need, not desire, and sure as hell not on love. And it worked for me too. No strings attached."

Elena felt disgusted. She stood up, turned around to walk to the window.

"Did Stefan mention anything about drugs?" Damon asked.

"Drugs?" Ivy looked horrified. "Why would Stefan mention about drugs?"

"Come across someone called Marko?" Damon asked. "Did Stefan or Luke mention this name?"

Ivy shook her head. "I don't know anyone called Marko. Did this Marko guy have anything to do with Stefan's death? Drugs were involved? Oh, my God! It didn't strike me that Stefan was a drug dealer."

"It is better for you not to know the details, Ivy," Damon said coldly. His voice must have been a little rougher than he had intended. Ivy flinched visibly.

"Did Stefan give you money?" Damon asked after a brief moment.

Ivy stared at him, obviously surprised by his question. "I'm not a prostitute."

"Well, I mean did he buy you gifts? I mean expensive gifts," Damon explained.

"I'm not Stefan's fiancée," Ivy said sullenly. "I was only a friend."

Elena faced Ivy. "Did Stefan talk about his fiancée?"

"Well, he did mention her a few times. Said she is smart and beautiful." Ivy paused briefly. "But she is not like most women."

Elena's eyes widened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't think she can give what Stefan wants in bed," Ivy said. "Otherwise why a man would be sleeping around if he has a beautiful fiancée?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Elena demanded, "What makes you think she can't give what Stefan wants in bed?"

Ivy shrugged. "It's female intuition. I know Stefan thinks she is not—not very responsive."

Damon bit back a grin and gravely said, "Not responsive? That bad?"

Elena glared at him but Damon paid no attention to her. "Go on, Ivy" he insisted, there was an odd light in his eyes. "What else did Stefan think about his fiancée?'

"Stefan wasn't a clumsy, oversexed college boy, and he probably didn't mind so very much that his fiancée is not very responsive, but other men who had slept with her probably think she is awkward and inept," Ivy said.

"Well, thank you so much for the information, Ivy." Elena hurried to open the door. She had to get out of here. "We better get going, Damon."

Damon followed Elena to the door. "Ivy," he said casually, "I will suggest you don't tell anyone about meeting us."

Ivy frowned. "Why?"

"The police are still investigating this case." He moved out into the hall and turned to smile at her. "This meeting is strictly confidential. Understand?"

Ivy swallowed. "I won't say anything. I promise."

Back in the car, Damon glanced at Elena. He said in a low voice, "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Elena could see in the mirror that her eyes were too bright and that there was one spot of colour burning on each cheek. She smoothed her hair and turned away.

"Sorry about that," Damon said eventually.

"Oh, shut up."

The let-down was far worse than the anger or the tears. It bordered on outright depression, Elena thought. She retreated to her bedroom as soon as she was inside the house. Damon did not try to stop her.

Half an hour later, sat on the edge of her bed, she tried to sort out her mangled emotions and jumbled thoughts. She gazed at Stefan's photo on her bedside table. She couldn't believe Stefan would think she was awkward and inept. Was she that bad?

After Damon had left she hadn't been sleeping around. Other women had enjoyed it but she didn't. She couldn't. Because deep down inside, the memory of what it was like to be in bed with Damon haunted her.

She only started dating Stefan when they were in medical school. They had been together for almost a year before she slept with him. Stefan was kind and patient with her. But obviously it was a lie.

"Are you sure you are okay?"

Elena jumped at Damon's voice. He was standing at the foot of her bed. "Shouldn't you knock before you enter someone's room?" she said defiantly.

"Now, Elena, don't be like that," Damon put in. "Ivy doesn't know who you are, she just thinks…"

"She just thinks I'm awkward, inept and not responsive in bed."

"Come on, you know it's not true."

"Don't pretend you are not enjoying this," she flung back. "You can't wait to laugh out loud."

"God, you are making this so hard!" he cried. "I don't give a damn what Ivy or Stefan think about you in bed."

She blinked. "Really?"

He reached out and touched her cheek. "I have got news for you, darling. You know why none of my relationships worked in the past ten years? Because I couldn't erase the memories of you. I will never forget the first time we slept together."

Damon saw the warm flush on her smooth cheeks— evidence that his words had affected her. "I couldn't get enough of you because being in bed with you made me crazy with wanting."

"Damon…" Despite her best effort to hold them back, tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

"Hey," he said in alarm. With the tears blurring her vision, she didn't see him move, but suddenly he was beside her on the bed, putting his arm around her and pulling her close so her head nestled in the curve of his shoulder. "Being with you drives me nuts. Not being with you also drives me nuts." He was rubbing her back, the motion comforting.

Elena let herself be held for a moment, closing her eyes as she savoured his closeness, the heat of his body, the man-smell of his skin.

Because she wanted to stay where she was just a little too much, she sat up out of his embrace and briskly rubbed her cheeks dry. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to cry on your shoulder-literally."

He smiled briefly. "You can use my shoulder anytime."

"I think I have overreacted," she said. "We should focus on finding out where Stefan had kept the money."

He watched her intently. "Right. And you don't want to discuss about us."

She swallowed. "Us?"

"Yes. Us." He spread his fingers. "You and me. The future." Our future, he thought.

She swallowed again. "I need time, Damon."

After a brief moment he nodded. "How long?"

"A little while."

He drew a breath. "Okay. I will do whatever you want me to do, Elena."

He stood up and walked to the door.

"Damon," she called out as his hand reached the doorknob.

He turned to look at her.

She bit her lip, hating to have him leave, but knowing he shouldn't stay. "Thank you for everything. I won't know what to do if you aren't here."

His phone rang before he could respond. "That will be Alaric." He left the room and shut the door behind him.

Elena flopped onto her back and closed her eyes. She sighed as she thought of the tender things he had said to her, and she could almost hear his deep voice saying them again…

 _Being with you drives me nuts. Not being with you also drives me nuts._

 _Us. You and me. The future._

 _I will do whatever you want me to do._

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 8 MAY 2006_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I'm sorry it's been so long, and I can't really explain why I haven't written-except that there are so many things I feel frightened to talk about, even to you._

 _First, the most terrible thing happened. Stefan got into a fight with Kai and Trevor because of me. We ended up in the police station. I felt bad, really bad. Then I let Stefan kissed me. I'm such a horrible person, aren't I? I kissed Damon and now I let Stefan kissed me._

 _Uncle Zach said Damon would come back to Mystic Falls on the weekend but there were no signs of him._

 _I don't know what Damon is doing these days._ _He hasn't texted me or called me. It seems like Damon has forgotten about me. Maybe I'm not an important person to him._

 _At school I wear a mask of calm and control, but on the inside- well, every day it just gets worse. It's frustrating. I want to know what's going on. If he doesn't care anymore, at least he should tell me directly._

Elena was in deep in her thoughts, which was why she didn't associate the knocking on her door with reality. A voice finally roused her.

"Open the door."

She dropped her pen and hurried downstairs. She checked the clock on the ceiling in the living room. It was almost eight p.m. Jeremy was in the school camp and Aunt Jenna had gone to her crotchet class after dinner. Who would be knocking on her door at this hour?

"Elena, dammit! Open the door!"

The door was vibrating with each fall of his fist. "Damon?" she croaked.

"If you don't open the door in ten seconds…"

"What do you want?"

"I will kick open the door and let myself in."

Scrambling to the door, she unlocked it and swung it open.

For the first time in his life, Damon looked truly bedraggled.

For the first time in his life, Damon looked completely drunk and disorderly.

And, for the first time in his life, Damon did not look happy to see her.

Damon was drunk, and he knew it. Okay…he sort of knew it, but was trying like hell to convince himself that he wasn't. Maybe standing at the front door of Elena Gilbert's house and taking some shots from the bottle of bourbon he had bought in Richmond hadn't been such a good idea. At the moment, he was alternating between being "king of the world" and "emperor of the dumbasses."

"Damon…have you been drinking?" Elena asked, astonished.

Bingo. Give the woman a prize.

"I have had a few," Damon answered. He'd had more than a few. Several? A lot? Yeah…he thought one of those would be more accurate.

Still, seeing her in front of him, looking as beautiful as she always did, dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a blue lace hoodie, nearly killed him. Maybe the alcohol hadn't helped ease the pain at all, because his chest was aching just from looking at her. She looked…concerned and anxious, and when he saw her brown eyes flash with fear, he nearly lost it. Was she afraid of him, or the whole confrontation thing?

"Why did you drink so much?" she mumbled, standing back to let him in. "You should never drink and drive."

Nope. He usually didn't. In fact, he'd never actually been drunk, which may be the reason he was having such a hard time deciding whether or not he truly was intoxicated. "Didn't drive while I was drinking—except on your driveway just now."

He was sauntering into the living room, trying hard not to fall on his ass, when he heard a stifled laugh.

"You are completely plastered, Damon," Elena informed him, her eyes concerned, but her lips smiling slightly. "How much did you drink?"

"Don't know," he answered honestly. Because really, he didn't remember how many swigs he had taken from the bottle. He had wanted enough to make him numb, enough to keep him from reacting to Elena. The thing was, he didn't think there was enough alcohol in the world to accomplish that.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned carefully.

"I heard my brother got in a fight because of you," Damon grumbled. "How romantic!"

"It wasn't romantic. Stefan was just trying to protect me," she told him calmly.

"He was trying to protect you," he muttered, highly offended that Elena thought of highly of Stefan. "And you fell for him straightaway. How lovely!"

She folded her arms across her chest. "You came to my house drunk. Are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

He reached out and closed his fingers tightly around her scalp, then roughly tilted her head up and back. He was shaking with rage.

"I ought to break your neck."

He didn't. He kissed her - hard.

His lips crushed hers, bruised them against her teeth. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth with no semblance of tenderness. It was an angry kiss, spawned by angry passion.

She jerked away from him, hauling backward. "No, Damon!"

Then she slapped him across the face.

That got his attention. He pulled away, clearly surprised at her violent response. He released her and his hand went to his jaw. "Obviously you don't want to kiss me anymore, do you?"

"You were nowhere to be found in the last few weeks," she hissed. "You think you can just waltz back into my life and throw me into your bed like nothing has happened?"

The look in his eyes grew intense again. "If I could throw you into my bed this moment and know you would stay there? I would in a heartbeat, Elena."

"No," she cried furiously. "You can't do this to me!"

He raked a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "Do what? I wanted to kiss my girl and what did I end up with? A slap on my face. But obviously you enjoyed it when Stefan kissed you."

Elena stilled. "You know about the kiss?"

"Yes," he laughed, the sound hysterical. "I know about the kiss."

"Damon, that wasn't…"

"Tell me the truth, Elena. Do you want Stefan?" He reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her down with him to the leather sofa, her body beneath his. "Why did you kiss him?"

She struggled beneath him, twisting and turning to free her arms from the bulk of his body on top of hers. "You are drunk, Damon."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes you are." Finally she managed to squirm out from under him, getting to her feet and leaving him laid out on the couch on his stomach.

"Please don't go," he said softly. "Elena, stay with me."

She snorted. "Fat chance. Now, let's go and we will get you upstairs, okay? Otherwise I'm not sure how to explain this to Aunt Jenna."

He leaned on her heavily as they made their way—slowly—toward her bedroom upstairs. Eventually, though, she got him up to her room.

"Almost there," she encouraged.

"Almost to kissing?"

She stifled a laugh at the tipsy hope in his voice. "Almost."

They wobbled their way across her room to her bed, and he collapsed into it, flopping onto his back with a groan. Elena pulled back just in time before he dragged her down with him.

"I'm lonely," he grumbled, patting the place beside him on the bed.

Oh no. Hell no. She wasn't going to get into that bed.

"I need you," he said huskily. "Come here next to me. I miss you."

There was every reason to ignore him, but she couldn't. The temptation was too great to disregard. Kicking off her sneakers, she climbed up onto the bed and snuggled beside him. "I miss you, too," she admitted, knowing he would probably never remember any of this in the morning. But the words left her lips involuntarily, needing to tell him at this moment.

His warm, protective arms snaked around her and she rested her head on his shoulder, giving herself this time, to enjoy the exhilaration she felt when she was with Damon Their relationship had never been comfortable, or mildly contented. For her, it had always been a heart-thumping roller coaster that never ended. She hadn't given Damon her heart; he had stolen it, the stubborn organ leaping from her chest and into his the moment they had met.

Crazy love.

The tension in Damon's arms relaxed, but he never let go of her, even after he was asleep. Elena relaxed into him and sighed, trying to absorb every bit of him into her soul, trying to keep every sensation locked in her memory.

She wasn't sure how long Damon would be around before he disappeared again.

Something jolted Damon out of his slumber, causing him to sit up in bed, before quickly dropping his head back on the pillows. Damn. His gut lurched and he swallowed, trying to make his head stop throbbing. It was like a sledgehammer was beating against his skull.

Blinking as he opened his eyes, a hand came into focus. It took him a moment to identify the hand belonged to a woman next to him. Elena was next to him, sleeping soundly.

"Good morning, Sunshine," he muttered softly, rubbing his face in her hair.

She blinked. "Damon?"

"Right here, sweetheart."

Then it struck her that she was entwined in Damon's arms and they were sleeping together in her bed. She sat bolt upright.

"You are awake," she said.

"Yes, I'm." He glanced at his watch. "It's almost seven a.m. I'd better be going."

He was leaving. Couldn't wait to be on his way. Outrage and pain knifed through her. Well? What had she expected? This was Damon Salvatore, after all. He wasn't exactly famous for hanging around. It wasn't as if she hadn't known exactly what she was getting into when she went into his arms earlier.

But it still hurt far more than it should. He was probably having fun with you. It meant nothing to him, she thought.

He got out of the bed and walked toward the door. "I will text you after school."

"That would be nice," she mumbled.

He paused, one hand on the doorknob. "Is there a problem here?"

"You are just going to walk out here, aren't you?" she asked evenly.

"And what's the problem with that?"

"Yes, there is a problem." She got out of her bed, strode forward, and came to a halt directly in front of him. She jabbed a forefinger against his chest. "You are the problem. I have enough of this stupid game of yours."

"What game?" he sounded irritated. "This is not a game."

She opened the door. "You can't come into my life any time you feel like you want to have some fun and then walk out again when you have enough," she said crossly. "I'm not a toy."

"Elena, you know this is not true," he said. "I have never treated you as a toy."

"Is that so?" she asked in icy accents.

"No," he said grimly. "But just so we are clear on this subject, I would like to point out that this isn't a game between us."

"Then why didn't you call me?" Her chin came up. "You basically ignored me for the past few weeks."

"I have a job, Elena. Come on, don't act like a child."

She stared at him. "I act like a child?" She was furious. "You ignored me for a few weeks and now you say I'm acting like a child."

"Why don't we talk later? You need to get ready for school."

"You are right. I'm going to be late for school." She was so pissed that she pushed him out of her room and slammed the door shut on his face.

Damon was too dumbfounded to speak for a moment. Nice going, Damon, you really screwed that up, didn't you?


	14. Chapter 14

_MYSTIC FALLS 9 MAY 2006_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I'm so angry. I'm so angry with Damon. How dare he said I was acting like a child? He had ignored me for a few weeks and he said I was acting like a child!_

 _Maybe he doesn't care about me. He comes into my life any time he feels like he wants to have some fun and then walk out again when he has enough. Maybe he is really treating me like some sort of a toy. His toy._

Elena used her chemistry textbook to shield her gaze as she watched Damon walk towards her. He looked calm and confident as usual. This morning events had obviously had no effect on him. He acted as if nothing at all out of the ordinary had occurred. She must be the biggest fool in history, Elena thought. Damon had never taken their relationship seriously.

"Hi," Damon said as he reached the table.

Elena ignored that and continued reading her book.

He sat down on the long bench across her. "Caroline said you don't have any class until two."

She said nothing.

"How are things going?"

She looked up and blanked at the question. She seriously doubted that he was inquiring about how she had survived this morning in school without thinking about what had happened between them earlier.

"What things?" Elena asked cautiously.

"Your studies. Your exams…" He was stuttering. Damn it, what was going on? Damon Salvatore hardly stuttered in front of a woman. "Everything, I mean."

She felt her temper rising. "You know something, Damon? My studies, my exams and my life are nothing of your concern." She got to her feet. "Excuse me, I'm going to the library to do some reading."

He got to his feet and came to a halt in front of her. "Wait, Elena. We have to talk."

"I'm busy," she said bluntly as she put her book back inside her bag.

"I want to talk about us."

Elena froze. "Us?"

"Yes. Us." He stabbed a hand through his hair. "Yes. I want to talk about us. Our relationship."

She was staring at him, but now the look on her face spoke more of surprise than anger. "Our relationship?"

"I care about you, Elena," he admitted. "So much that I can't think about anything else. I can't stand the thought of Stefan kissing you…" His voice broke, and he exhaled slowly. "But you are right."

"About what?"

"You deserve someone who you can count on, somebody who can help you with your homework and exams…"

She narrowed her eyes. "What are you trying to imply?"

"I think it is for the best." God, that hurt. The ache in his gut intensified. Walking away from her was so hard, the hardest thing he had ever done. "It's for the best. I'm sure you will understand."

"Do I?"

"My job is very demanding. I can't expect to be sticking around here all the time."

Understanding hit her. He was trying to tell her he didn't want anything to do with her anymore.

She caught her breath. "I understand now. You are trying to tell me that we should go our separate ways, aren't you?"

He had hurt her. He could see the pain in her eyes. "Elena, I…" He tried to put his arm around her and draw her close, but she pulled away.

"Don't touch me," she said. "I feel like enough of a fool already."

"Elena, you are no fool. I…"

"You what?" she demanded, her scrambled emotions giving a rare edge to her anger. "You didn't treat me as a toy?"

"I have never treated you as a toy," he said grimly. "I know you are hurt…"

"No, you are wrong," she scowled. "I'm not hurt. We have nothing. There is nothing going on between us." The words, even as she spoke them, sliced through Elena. But she knew it was better to end their relationship quickly and move on. "Goodbye, Damon."

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 14 JULY 2016_

"Dr Gilbert?"

A man dressed in a nursing uniform hailed Elena along the corridor.

"Yes?"

"I have a message for you."

"Yes?"

A second man stepped out of the storage room. Short and pudgy, he wore a nursing uniform but there was an air of ruthless determination.

Elena froze when the second man reached into his pocket and withdrew a gun topped with a long, deadly silencer. Before she could so much as gasp, let alone turn and flee, he grabbed her. With one hand wrapped viciously around her arm, he jammed the barrel into her side.

"You make one sound, one single sound, and you are dead."

With her throat closed and her heart slamming against her ribs, she couldn't have squeaked out a word if she wanted to.

"Don't make me hurt you," her abductor snarled. "We need you breathing for a while. Now keep walking."

Her jaw clamed shut. Heart thundering, she was half dragged, half shoved toward a car idling at the back of the hospital. The sedan's motor hummed softly. Its dark tinted windows revealed nothing of its interior.

Elena's abductor jerked her to a halt.

His accomplice performed a swift reconnaissance of the open parking lot, and then dashed to the car and yanked open the back door.

Second later, Elena was showed into the back seat.

She fell into the seat, her terror-filled mind screamed as the car peeled away from the curb, the consequences might just prove fatal. She scrambled upright and eyed the door handle only inches away. If she could knock aside the gun aimed at her middle with her right hand and yank the door open with her left, she could tumble into the street and…..

"Don't try it, babe."

The man beside her smiled a warning.

"Me or my friend here would put a bullet through your kneecap before you ran two steps."

He said it with such casual menace that ice formed in Elena's veins.

"But just to make sure…" In a swift move, he caught her wrist in a brutal grip and twisted it behind her. "Derek, toss me that tape."

Bent almost double, Elena fought futilely as he laid his gun on the seat and snagged her other arm. She heard a tearing sound, and then felt the slap of tape as he wrapped it around and around her wrists. Panting, she lurched back in her seat.

"You can't do this!"

"The man in front seat snickered. "Looks to me like we just did."

"Shut up and drive, Derek."

Shaking her hair out of her eyes, Elena bit back the terror that rose like a living thing in her throat. She had to rein in her thundering feat. Had to focus. Breathing hard and fast, she tried to identify landmarks she could relate to Damon when she got the chance. She would get the chance. When they arrived wherever they were going, she would find some way to contact him or send a message.

He was a hunter. He would track these thugs down and come after her. She had to believe that, had to keep shouting it over and over in her mind to keep from choking on the panic pounding through her chest.

With every turn, she searched for street signs. All too soon, the familiar landmarks blurred. After a confusing number of turns, they wheeled into a neighbourhood of towering palms, profusely flowering shrubs and high walls.

The streets grew wilder, the residences separated into estates. Finally, the driver slowed at a gated driveway. A "For Sale" sign beside the entrance offered the property for viewing to a discriminating clientele.

Evidently her abductors had arranged a private viewing. With a click of a remote switch, the gates slid open. Crushed shell crunched under the tires as the car swept up a curving drive to a sprawling stucco mansion. The ornate curlicues above the windows and massive front doors dated it somewhere in the thirties or forties. Elena couldn't image who owned it.

It soon became obvious that the owners had departed the premises. The front doors opened to cavernous rooms emptied of all furnishings. The place was in show condition, however. The black-and-white marble floors gleamed. The massive crystal chandelier in the entryway sparkled. Not a speck of dust danced in the sunbeams slanting through the curtained front windows.

With a hand wrapped around her arm like a vice, Elena was guided down a long, central hall to the high-ceilinged sunroom that ran the length of the back of the house. Its tall windows looked out on a marble pool surrounded by larger-than-life white statuary and acres of green lawn. The estate's high stucco wall enclosed it all, like the walls of an impregnable fortress.

Sliding open the glass doors, her kidnapper took her into the bright sunshine. Like the interior, the exterior was meticulously maintained. No weeds poked put of the lush green carpet. No algae had dared form on the sides of the pool. A well-mannered hum rose from the pool's motor, neatly concealed behind a latticework screen. Chlorine mingled with the scent of bougainvillea and honeysuckle.

"Over there."

Following the curt instruction, she made her way to a grotto formed by a half circle of Greek columns. Climbing vines shaded the grotto's interior, which held a grouping of marble benches and tables.

"Damned place ain't got no place to sit but out here," the one called Derek muttered. "Next time, we tell the boss to pick a joint with chairs and a TV in it, for God's sake."

Disgusted, he whipped a cigarette pack out of his pocket and lit up.

"You might as well sit down," he grumbled to Elena. "We got some time to kill yet."

Elena sank onto a marble bench, her wrists still taped and her shoulders already aching from the strain. She swallowed, trying desperately to work some moisture in her throat.

"Some time until what?"

"Until the boss is here."

"Shut the hell up, Derek."

"Hey, I was only answering her question."

"Where is Marko?" Elena wet her lips. "What isn't he here?"

"So you know me."

Elena turned around.

Marko, thin and wiry, with short-cropped hair so dark it was nearly black walked towards her.

She swallowed hard. "Marko."

"We finally meet, Dr Gilbert," he said as he reached the table.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want," Marko said. "Where's the money?"

"I don't know."

"Don't play games with me, doc," he demanded. "Where did Stefan keep the money?"

"I don't know!" she repeated.

He hauled her up from the bench. "Where's the money? Tell me!"

"I said I don't know!"

"Very well, doc. If you aren't willing to cooperate, then don't blame me." He sneered at her. "We will wait for your boyfriend to bring us the money."

Oh God, Damon! She couldn't let Marko use her to bait Damon. She had to get away. Had to warn Damon,

"Stay with her until her lover boy brings us the money," Marko said to the two men before walking away. "Derek, you call her lover boy."

"Yes, boss."

Desperation pounded in Elena's ears. The sound of her own frustration and fear drowned out everything else. Not until she had dragged in long, steadying gulps of the chlorine-and-nicotine scented air did her thundering panic subside. She had to think! Had to stop wallowing in fear and helplessness and do something!

Forcing herself to look with a less-panicked eye, she searched the grotto for a sharp projection or ragged edge or even a rough spot on the marble columns, anything that might cut through the tape on her wrists. The pristine surroundings defeated her. She couldn't find so much as a promising rock.

Heart hammering, she stared out through the blinding sunlight to the glass doors of the sunroom. She could tell Derek she had to go to the bathroom. Maybe there was something inside the empty house she could use to cut the tape. Or…

Her gaze caught on the white latticework screen a few yards away. She could hear the hum of a motor behind it. Her stomach jumped.

The motor behind that screen was an engine. Maybe, just maybe it got hot, too. If she could distract Derek, even for a few minutes, and crawl over…

That desperate scheme fizzled even as it formed. Pool pump makers wouldn't manufacture products that might burn their wealthy clients.

But…

Her gaze dropped to the cigarette butt lying on the marble just inches from her foot. Its tip still glowed a faint coral.

She eyed the man slouched on the bench opposite hers through the screen of her lashes. He looked almost bored, his fingers tapping the marble table while he waited.

Swallowing her rage and fear, Elena lifted her head.

"Can I have a cigarette?"

"Yeah, why not? But I thought you doctors don't smoke."

"It's not true."

"Ah, I see."

He lit a fresh one from his own and placed it between her lips. She hadn't smoked since those few she had experimented with in high school, but she drew the tar and nicotine into her lungs like a half-drowned man would air.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 18 JUNE 2006_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _For the past one month, I have been mulling Damon's words over. He said I deserve someone who I can count on. Is he trying to tell me that he doesn't deserve me? He said he cares about me but why did he want us to go on separate ways?_

 _I'm so confused. I'm attracted to Damon Salvatore in a way I have never known with any other man. It's scary. I'm really afraid because it is hard trying to guess his true feelings for me._

 _Caroline told me Stefan is a much better choice because I can count on him. Stefan will always be there to support me. He will not walk out on me. But nobody would know what Damon would do. There is always a worrisome note reminding myself that I really have nothing in common with him. The only thing Damon could possibly want from me was a sexual relationship._

A faint tapping on the window made Elena spin around. She barely stifled a scream when she saw the dark figure on the opposite side of the glass. Then his eyes met hers.

"Damon!" She saw the way he was clutching one shoulder and a frantic sense of panic set in. He was hurt.

Elena didn't hesitate. She rushed towards the window and opened it. His eyes were shimmering with an emotion that might have been pain or lust. Elena assumed it was pain.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he muttered as he climbed through the window to get inside her room. He was still clutching his shoulder and swaying slightly on his feet. He looked somewhat the way he had the night he'd been drunk. "I'm going to need a little help and I didn't want to startle Stefan or uncle Zach."

"You are bleeding. There's blood all over you."

"Not all of it is mine."

Elena carefully took his uninjured arm and started towards her bed. "I will get aunt Jenna to call a doctor."

"No." Damon drew a deep breath. "I've already been to one. He closed the shoulder and put something on the wound for the pain before I could stop him."

"Why would you want to stop him from giving you a painkiller?" Elena demanded.

"I'm a cop."

Elena was incensed. "What difference does that make? Do cops have to go around proving their bravery by refusing painkillers when they have been hurt?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you have all the makings of a scold?" Damon retorted. "With very little effort you could turn into a complete nag."

"With you for inspiration, I'm willing to make the effort," she snapped. "Now tell me what's going on here. Why didn't you want a painkiller?"

"Some painkillers make you drowsy. I want to stay awake." His words sounded increasingly slurred. "I need to see you."

"Why?"

"Because it's my birthday. I want to see your face." He reached out to touch her cheek gently. "I miss you."

"Damon, tell me what happened."

"I got hurt."

"I can see that! How?"

"Sheer stupidity. Stupidity will do it every time."

"Does this have anything to do with your undercover job?" Elena demanded with sudden intuition.

He hesitated "It does."

"I was afraid of that! I had no idea your undercover job was going to become dangerous."

"It's my job. I know what I'm doing." The words were carefully and deliberately spaced, each one an immovable block of stone.

"I'm worried about you!" Elena declared. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"You are worried about me?" He looked pleased.

"Yes, I worry about you. Why do you want to hear me say it?"

He smiled. "Let's talk later. Right now, I just want some sleep. Please."

She gave up and did exactly that.

Two hours later when Damon awoke from a restless sleep he was immediately aware of three things. The first was that his shoulder ached. The second was that the room seemed much too warm.

The third was that he was not alone in the darkened room. Elena was curled up in the depths of an armchair beside the bed, sound asleep. It was the first time he had ever seen her in repose. There was a gentle vulnerability about her that made him want to reach out and gather her into the protection of his arms.

An overwhelming wave of desire and longing swept through Damon. He was in no condition tonight to control it.

Elena's lashes stirred and lifted as she sensed his awakening. Her eyes met his and Damon's body sang an ancient song as he saw the shy, tremulous, sleepy desire in her gaze. She wanted him.

Without a word, he held out his hand. If she came to him now she would be his. He knew that with a triumphant certainty.

Elena's gaze drifted down to the hand he had extended and then lifted again to his face. He saw the questions and the uncertainty and the feminine caution in her. All his instincts urged him not to hesitate. He should reach out and take hold of her before she lost her nerve and turned to flee.

But another part of him said that all he had to do was wait.

Elena uncurled herself slowly and it was easy to see that she was poised between the urge to flee and the need to stay and learn the secrets of the attraction she was experiencing. Then she got to her feet and walked slowly over to the bed. She reached down and touched Damon's fingers wonderingly.

He closed his hand around hers and tugged her down onto the bed.

Elena had made her decision as she sat watching him sleep. Damon was sprawled on top of the quilt, his smoothly muscled body bare from the waist up. Earlier, when she had helped him into bed, Elena had tried to persuade him to slide beneath the covers but he had refused. He had stripped off his jacket and shirt and dropped, clearly exhausted, on top of the bed.

She had sat watching him until she, too, had fallen asleep. She wasn't sure what had awakened her a moment ago, but she had been vibrantly aware that she had reached her decision.

Now Elena allowed herself to be pulled down onto the bed without a murmur of protest. This was what she wanted. She was excited and shocked at her own recklessness, but the reaction only served to heighten her awareness.

Damon's eyes were holding hers with unrelenting intensity as he pulled her down to lie beside him. The gleam of moonlight was reflected in his blue gaze, creating a thousand tiny shards of light between his black lashes. There was a compelling promise in that gaze, one Elena could no longer ignore.

This was the man with whom she would explore the boundaries of her own sexuality. She wanted to learn what it would be like to please him and to be pleased in return. She had waited long enough. It was time.

Her senses were filled with wonder and excitement and delight as he settled her beside him on top of the quilt. She was lightheaded with the thrill of it all. Only one thing worried her now.

"Damon, your shoulder. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Forget my shoulder. I can barely feel it. All I want to feel now is you. Elena, I have waited too long for this night. Too long for you."

"Damon." Her fingers drifted curiously across his chest, stirring the crisp hair that angled down to a point that disappeared beneath the waistband of his trousers. He shuddered and she was enthralled. There was a heady sense of purely female power in knowing she could make him respond like this. She touched him again, this time gently grazing his flat nipple with the tip of her nail.

Damon drew in his breath and his hand tightened on her wrist.

"I didn't mean to upset you the other day," he said roughly. "I'm sorry, Elena. I need you. Come closer, please."

She obeyed with a shy eagerness as she nestled against his side and put her head tentatively on his uninjured shoulder. His hand touched her almond-coloured long hair.

"So warm and soft." Damon lifted a handful of her hair and inhaled deeply. "I want to know all your secrets, Elena."

Elena felt his hard, muscled tension, felt the heat of his body reaching out to envelop her. "You are the one who is mysterious, Damon. I don't know you are thinking and I'm not at all certain I understand you."

"But you want me," he stated.

"I… I think this is what I want. Damon, this is all so new to me." She felt a faint twinge of uncertainty that momentarily interfered with the wonderful sense of discovery and excitement. "And I'm not sure what you want."

"All I need is you. I will show you."

He lowered his head and took her mouth with devastating force. Elena responded even as she tried to tell herself she should get out of the bed. But when he pressed himself beside her, letting her feel his hard strength, she felt her resolve slipping.

He did want her. She was amazed that such demanding desire could exist, but she was forced to accept it. The truth was, her own body was growing warm with passion. Tentatively she put her arms around him and stroked his hard, muscled shoulders. Her knee flexed inward, touching his leg intimately.

"Elena," he said in aching relief. His mouth moved across hers and down her throat. He buried his lips in the curve of her shoulder and breathed deeply of her fragrance. "That's what I want from you. Touch me. Give yourself to me."

His hand went to his belt and he tore off the remainder of his clothing. In the pale light Elena saw the full, hard length of his manhood and she shivered. He was taut and heavy with need and her own body responded to it even as she watched him with an awed, questioning gaze.

Damon saw the expression in her eyes as she lay looking up at him. He lowered himself quickly back down beside her.

"I need you, Elena."

With skilled hands, he removed her pyjamas and bra. His rough hand slid over her breasts. Her already aroused nipples became firm, tight, incredibly sensitive.

Growling with pleasure, Damon took time only to sheathe himself before kissing her again. She was wet and near to weeping with pleasure when he raised himself above her and found the treasure he sought. She gasped as he started to slide in. She was tight and Damon thought he was going to die if he didn't get to get all the way in the next second.

She whispered his name across his neck and arched her back. Her nails dug into his shoulders as he lifted her up a little bit and tried to push all the way in. When he met the unexpected veil of resistance, he paused and looked down at her with a bewildered expression.

"What the hell Elena?"

She tightened her hold on Damon, preparing to let herself explore this new, more pleasant feeling. Her legs wrapped around his waist in an unconscious need to get closer to him.

Her sensual movements had a totally unexpected effect on him. Damon lost his control.

"Elena."

He arched forward, surging deeply into her as his whole body went taut. Damon stifled a shout of triumphant release and then he shuddered and collapsed on top of Elena.

Minutes passed and Damon did not move. Elena stroked his warm back slowly, not certain what to do next. He seemed to be in a deep sleep. Her emotions were in utter, mystifying chaos. She wanted to laugh and was amazed when she felt tears in her eyes. The only thing that mattered was the man in her arms.


	15. Chapter 15

_MYSTIC FALLS JUNE 19 2006_

Damon woke up in Elena's double bed, aware that it was near dawn. He checked the glowing dial of his watch. Six in the morning. Elena was neatly tucked into the curve of his body. He was suddenly, fully aroused.

He eased one hand on her leg and moved his palm upward over her warm thigh. Levering himself up on his elbow, he kissed her shoulder.

"Are you awake?" he asked.

"No."

He slid his fingers between her legs. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay," he said. "I just wondered."

He pressed himself against her soft rear, nibbled on her earlobe and started to tease her lightly with his fingers.

She sighed and turned onto her back. He saw the gentle heat in her eyes. She put her arms around his neck.

"I'm awake now," she said.

"So am I."

"I noticed."

He moved over her, capturing her beneath him, and kissed her. With a soft, languid whisper, she opened for him, inviting him into her warmth. He made love to her, slowly, deliberately, until she was hot and shivery in his arms, until he sensed the escalating tension deep inside her. He stopped briefly to sheath himself and only then did he thrust into her.

"Damon."

She came almost immediately and so did he.

When it was over, he withdrew reluctantly and fell back onto the pillow beside her. Reaching down between them he found her hand and clasped it. He waited until both of them were breathing normally again.

"Elena?"

"Hmm?"

"It's almost seven. I better get going."

"You are leaving?"

"I don't think you want your aunt finding me in your bedroom this morning." Damon sat up and picked up his shirt.

"Oh." Elena sat up and reached for her pyjamas.

"You don't want to be late for school as well." He reached for his jeans.

Elena glance got caught for a moment as she watched the smooth play of muscles under his skin. The strength in him was captivating. She had responded to it with more passion than she had ever experienced. Damon saw her lingering look, and started to grin with lazy, come-hither sensuality. She quickly shifted her gaze to the window.

"You are right." She cleared her throat. "I don't want to be late for school."

"Do you know I like it when you're going up in flames in my arms?" He gave her a lingering kiss. "It was good, lady. And I have a feeling it's going to get better and better." He got to his feet and tugged her up beside him. "Hurry up and get dressed. We still can go for breakfast before I drop you to school."

"You are going to drop me to school?"

"Yes, but I'm starving now. We will get something to eat on the way." He opened her wardrobe and picked a shirt. "I like this. Why don't you wear this?"

He helped her with the buttons of her shirt, and then she stepped quickly into her jeans and running shoes.

"Here we go. Meet me at your driveway."

"Wait…" she called out as Damon moved towards the window. "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry, I have done this a few times." He winked at her and climbed out of the window. "See you shortly."

An hour later Elena slipped into Damon's blue Camaro. "How's your shoulder?" she asked as Damon swung the Camaro towards the road leading to Mystic Falls High School.

"I will survive."

Elena's brows drew together disapprovingly as she studied the road in front. "Your undercover job is so dangerous. What if things go wrong? What if the bad guys find out you are an undercover?"

"Elena, my sweet innocent, I hate to break this to you, but the fact that being an undercover is a little dangerous is what made this job exciting. I won most of the time because I knew what I was doing."

"Somehow I can just imagine you doing that."

"I'm a qualified cop, Elena. I know what I'm dealing with. And I have good backup."

"Your job is definitely very exciting," Elena murmured. "But I don't think I need excitement now. Mind slowing down a little?"

Damon flashed her an apologetic glance. "Sorry." He eased off the Camaro's accelerator. "Does my driving bother you?"

"Not really," she said honestly. "You always seem to be in complete control." That much was true. Damon drove with a smooth precision that struck her as unusual. "It's just that I'm accustomed to a slightly more sedate pace."

"You want sedate – you get sedate." He grinned at her. "This morning your wish is my command."

"So accommodating… Amazing what a little sex will do for a man's mood."

"The little sex we had last night and this morning were the best I have ever had, lady."

Elena blushed warmly, aware of the lingering aftershocks that were still rippling through her. She had flown into a whirlwind and survived but she didn't think she would ever be the same again.

How long would Damon want to continue making love to her? And how long would she fool herself into thinking that making love was close enough to the real thing to make a relationship worthwhile?

They remained in silence for the entire drive back to Mystic Falls High School. He dropped Elena off at the entrance to the school building shortly before nine o'clock in the morning.

"I have to make a few phone calls but I should be free later this evening. We can go for a movie tonight," he said when she made to slide out of the Camaro.

She stood and looked at him through the opened door. She was already sleeping with him. Why not trust him that he might want their relationship worked?

"Fine," she said. "I will be at home by three."

She hurried toward the school's entrance. Damon waited until she was safely inside the school before he drove off in the direction of his house.

Elena walked up the steps of the high school into the nearly empty corridors. She headed toward her chemistry. As she opened the door, she saw a few faces turned toward her, and she slipped hastily into the empty desk beside Caroline. She was right on time.

Ms. Halpern stopped the lesson for a moment and looked at her, then continued. When the teacher had turned back to the blackboard, Elena looked at Caroline.

Caroline reached over to take her hand. "Are you all right?" she whispered. "You look different this morning."

She felt heat rising in her cheek. Some people believed that you had a special look when you lose your virginity. Did she really look so different because she had lost her virginity?

"No, I'm fine," she lied. "I was worried that I was late."

She glanced around and saw Stefan's empty seat. It was very unusual for Stefan to be late for class.

"Caroline, do you know what's happened to Stefan?"

"You mean you don't know?" Caroline's green eyes widened.

Elena went still. "What's wrong?" she asked, forcing out the words.

"Kai knocked Stefan down with his bike last night. Stefan is in the hospital now."

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 14 JULY 2016_

Now!

She had to do it now!

Too many minutes had ticked by. Elena had to get out of here.

She didn't doubt for a moment Damon would come for her rescue. He would tear Marko apart to keep him from hurting her as Marko had already killed his brother.

She had to do it now!

Her throat rasped from the noxious weeds she had forced herself to beg from her kidnapper. At least the bastard had felt enough remorse to light another cigarette and place it between her shaking lips.

He was puffing away on another, too. He had pushed off the marble bench, his back to Elena, he ambled along the terrace, sneering at the over-sized statues of Greek gods that lined the pool. No doubt the little scum was envious of the gods' magnificent endowment, Elena thought viciously.

It was time to implement her plan.

Her whole body tensing, she sucked in a last drag. Then slowly, so slowly, she twisted to one side and opened her lips. The filter stuck to her dry lips for terrifying seconds before it dropped to the bench beside her. Almost sobbing with relief that it hadn't bounced off the seat, she angled to one side and fumbled behind her with her bound hands.

The glowing tip grazed her fingers. She felt a stinging burn and bit down hard on her lower lip. Gently, not wanting to knock off the burning ember, she turned it end on end to grasp the filter.

The knowledge that she had only this once chance ate like acid on Elena's nerves. Watching her kidnapper, willing him with every fibre of her being, to keep gawking at the statues, she pressed the cigarette against the tape.

She had never dreamed it could take so long for thin white tape to smoulder – or that she wouldn't even feel the burns when it did. She sat rigid, afraid to draw attention to herself with so much as a blink, as the plastic coating on the tape caught and tiny flames licked at her arms.

The sickening smell of burning plastic drifted up to compete with the scent of chlorine and flowering vines. Then, suddenly, her hands were free.

She had only seconds for what came next.

Bending, she ripped the tape from her ankles. Luckily, it had wrapped around her trousers more than her skin and came off easily. But not soundlessly. The snicker of the tape tearing loose sounded like cannon-fire in her ears. She froze, and threw a glance at her kidnapper.

He hadn't heard it!

Now for Phase Two!

She couldn't think about the chances of success. Didn't dare calculate her odds. All she could do was pray her shaky legs would hold her as she launched herself off the bench, out of the grotto and across the terrace.

"What the hell…?"

Her kidnapper whirled at the exact instant Elena barrelled into him. Open-mouthed with surprise, he flailed his arms madly to keep from toppling into the pool. Elena ducked under his elbow ripped the phone from his shirt pocket with one hand. The other she fisted and ploughed as hard as she could into his flabby gut.

He didn't go down! Dear God, he didn't go down!

Off balance, spewing vile oaths, he reached across his chest for his gun. Frantic, furious, Elena put everything she had into a huge shove. He fired one wild shot, almost deafening her, then went wind-milling off the pool edge.

He hadn't even hit water before she had spun around and was racing for the house. She heard the splash, heard his curse end in a glob just seconds before she sent the glass doors crashing back on their slides.

Just as she tapped frantically at the phone key, a hand grabbed hold of her hair and pulled her down to the ground.

"Bitch!" Derek crooned above her. "What do you think you are doing?" He pointed the gun to her. "You think you can run…"

Elena closed her eyes, expecting him to squeeze the trigger. It was over. There was nothing more she could do to save herself.

But when the explosion came, she felt no pain. Opening her eyes, she saw Derek crumple, instead. Damon was inside the house and held the gun that had shot him.

"What the hell?" Marko went for the gun at the small of his back.

"Damon!" she screamed.

But her scream stopped. Marko's eyes rolled toward each other, as tough to look at the hole between them. Another appeared an inch above the first. Then he fell backward onto the tile floor.

A man wearing black bulletproof vests over his golf shirt walked over to Damon. "You owe me one, buddy."

"Thanks, Enzo." Damon patted Enzo's shoulder gently.

A few more men wearing black bulletproof vest barged in. Elena couldn't have mistaken them. They were FBI agents, in full assault gear.

Damon ran straight to Elena. She felt his strong hands on her arms, pulling her up. "Are you all right?"

Dazed, she nodded, then stammered, "Y-yes."

Not long later at the sound of heavy footsteps on the scrubbed hospital tiles, Elena looked up from her wrist. Her stomach clenched at the expression on Damon's face.

"Is Marko dead?"

"Yes." His eyes went to her wrist. "I should have killed him myself."

"What about the other two men?"

"My bullet missed Derek's heart. He is in critical condition but the doctors think he will survive. The other guy, Joe is fine. Both Derek and Joe are Marko's wingmen. They are more use to us alive than dead," Damon said, keeping his gaze locked on the scratches and burns on Elena's wrist. The muscle in his jaw jumped as the nurse deftly twisted a light gauze bandage around her wrist.

"There. It's only minor skin scratches and burns which will heal in a few days' time."

"Will they scar?"

"They are only superficial wounds. They will heal nicely." The nurse reassured her. "You can take some pain killers as required."

Damon was at her side in an instant. "Are you hurting?"

"Not really but I don't mind having one of those pain pills."

She managed to toss it off lightly, but that was about all she could manage. Her hands shook when she reached for the water glass and pill the nurse held out for her.

His brows slashing, Damon took the glass and tipped it to her lips. She washed away the raspy taste of cigarette smoke and fear with a wobbly smile.

"Thanks."

"Are you sure you are okay?" Damon sounded worried. "Do you need to stay overnight for observation?"

She shook her head. "No. I just want to go home. Damon, take me home."

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS JUNE 19 2006_

"Elena, why don't we let Stefan rest? We shouldn't bother him."

The hushed words had to penetrate pain and narcotics to reach him. Somehow, they did. Stefan pried open his eyes.

The hospital room was dim, but the scant daylight leaking through the drawn blinds seemed painfully brilliant. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust.

Elena was standing at the side of his bed. With her was Damon. Damon was staring down at him with unstinting intensity. Elena seemed apprehensive.

Though he couldn't be specific about the time of day, he believed it to be the afternoon following the accident. Earlier, the efficient hospital staff had moved her from the theatre into this standard room at Mystic Falls Hospital.

He had been examined by a team of doctors, each of whom specialized in a different field, and had been informed that her injuries were not critical. She had suffered a concussion, and a broken arm and collarbone.

He was grateful to be alive and relieved that his prognosis for a full recovery was positive.

From the moment, he regained consciousness in the room, the sheriff had told him that Kai was being caught and there was no doubt he would face serious charges for attempted murder.

"I'm so sorry, Stefan," Elena said regretfully. "Kai holds a grudge against you because of me."

Stefan wanted to reach out and touch her, and he tried to before realizing that his arm and collarbone were unmovable in their cast.

"Don't move around," Damon demanded. "You need to rest."

"I'm okay," Stefan said. "It's not your fault, Elena. Don't blame yourself."

"If it wasn't me, Kai wouldn't harm you," she said.

"I won't let him hurt you," Stefan said firmly. "I will protect you, no matter what happens."

Damon went stilled. He was vaguely aware that Elena did the same.

Damon shoved his hand through his hair. Just what he needed. Listening to his brother announcing his love for Elena.

"Damon is right. You need to rest." She exhaled slowly. "I probably should get going."

"Will you visit me again, Elena?" Stefan whispered.

Elena looked at Damon nervously. But he didn't look at her. His blue eyes, characteristically intense, were cold and distant. As if there was no life behind them. They reflected no light, as though he were dead.

Did Damon blame Stefan's injury on her? Was she to blame?

"Will you come to see me again, Elena?" Stefan asked again.

Damon lowered his forehead into one of his hands and massaged his temples with his thumb and middle finger. He was obviously upset, Elena thought. The Salvatores were a close family, never failing to bolster, defend, and protect each other. She understood the concern he must feel for Stefan.

She gave Stefan a fleeting smile. "Of course I will come back to see you again."

"I'm glad you are here, Elena," Stefan rumbled, his eyes closing, drowsiness taking over his body.

"You okay?" Elena said, standing beside Damon after shutting the door behind them.

Damon nodded.

"I'm so sorry, Damon…"

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "It's not your fault, Elena."

She spread her hands. "Kai holds a grudge against Stefan because of me. Stefan is injured because of me."

He looked at her. "Because Stefan loves you."

Elena froze. Her mouth went dry. "Damon."

"Stefan would do anything for you because he is in love with you." He stared down at the floor. "He would sacrifice everything, including his life for you."

"Damon…"

"I'm terrible brother." He shoved his hand through his hair. "Where was I when my brother was fighting for his life? I'm his brother. I'm a cop. I'm supposed to protect him but what did I do?"

She managed to keep the tears rolling down her cheeks from coming through in her voice. "Damon, please…"

"What kind of brother am I to fail to protect my little brother?" he growled. "And what was I doing? I was sleeping with the woman he loves. What kind of brother I am?"

"Damon, stop…."

"I think you should leave, Elena." He walked to the door. "I will stay with Stefan."


	16. Chapter 16

_MYSTIC FALLS 15 JULY 2016_

The next day they gathered together in Elena's living room. Aunt Jenna and Jeremy sat side by side on the sofa.

Elena lounged in one of the recliners. She had bandages on her palms and she still felt wan and washed out. She was feeling much better, all things considered.

Damon occupied the other recliner. Enzo sat in the armchair.

"I think it is safe to say we have managed to mount this raid on Marko's operation," Damon said. "Elena will be safe for now."

"You still haven't explained how you and Enzo realized I might be in major trouble yesterday," Elena said.

"Two days ago, Marko was spotted leaving Richmond," Enzo replied.

"I just want to make sure that Marko was coming after the money." Damon steeple his fingers. "When Enzo and I discovered that Marko had bought the mansion at the border of Mystic Falls, we knew he was up to something."

"But just to be on the safe side, Damon had me informed the FBI so that we could have more support if needed," Enzo continued. "We had a few FBI agents watching over the mansion for the last forty-eight hours."

Elena frowned. "I take it you knew Marko was going to kidnap me?"

Stunned, both aunt Jenna and Jeremy gaped up at her. "What!"

Damon looked at her. His eyes reflected an aching remorse.

"I'm sorry, Elena."

Jeremy shot Damon a quick, disgusted look. "You used Elena as a bait."

"Damon had no choice," Enzo interrupted. "The faster we managed to catch Marko, the safer Elena would be."

"It was too dangerous," Jeremy retorted. "How could you use her as a bait?"

The conversation was getting nowhere fast. With a grunt of exasperation, Elena stomped forward, and put herself between the two men.

"I want to hear this from Damon."

She looked at Damon. "What didn't you tell me?"

The muscle in Damon's jaw twitched. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For dragging you into this. For letting those bastards hurt you." He paused. "Enzo was right. We knew Marko would look for you in order to find the money."

Jeremy's hands were clenched at his sides. "You used her as a bait to trap Marko, you bastard!"

"I know that much," Elena said. "Go on. Tell me how did you manage to track me down."

Damon pointed at her wrist. "Your watch. Take a closer look, Elena."

She hesitated for only a split of second before removing her wrist watch. "What did you do to my watch?"

"Damon had implanted a tracking device in your watch," Enzo said. "That's how we managed to track you down, Elena."

Damon took the wrist watch from her. "Do you have an ice pick?" he asked aunt Jenna.

Within seconds he was applying the utensil to the spot, Elena, Jeremy and aunt Jenna peered over his shoulder. Before any of them expected it, a small chip popped out and landed on the tablecloth that covered the coffee table. It was the colour of a pencil lead and smaller than the head of a pin.

Enzo explained the GPS tracking system to aunt Jenna and Jeremy. "The technology has advanced so much nowadays. A transceiver this minuscule has been used by FBI widely."

"You could have told us about your plan, Damon," aunt Jenna said.

"We can't," Enzo said. "Damon was doing his job."

Elena turned and walked away. She understood where Damon was coming from, yet hurt that he hadn't seen fit to share it with her until it was forced on him. Or maybe she had never understood Damon at all. Hugging her arms, she stared out of the window.

Damon joined her after a moment. "I'm sorry, Elena. It was a desperate plan, but it was the only one I could come up with."

She didn't answer.

"I was so afraid," he confessed. "When I knew Marko had kidnapped you, all I could think about was you. I didn't care about Marko. I didn't care about anything except finding you."

She looked at him. "You could have told me at some point. You could have trusted me."

"I couldn't tell you, Elena," he hesitated. "I can't tell anyone certain things regarding my job. But that doesn't mean I don't trust you. As a matter of fact, I'm trusting you with something that frightens me a lot more than the details of a murder investigation."

Elena held her breath, waiting for him to tell her what he was trusting her with, but he didn't volunteer the information. Finally, she couldn't wait any longer.

"What's that?" she whispered.

A shrill ring interrupted before Damon could respond. He reached into his shirt pocket for his cell phone.

With a swift intake of breath, Damon punched the talk button and jammed the phone to his ear. "Damon Salvatore."

A moment later, he ended the call. "Derek is now awake. Faced with kidnapping and attempted murder charges, both Derek and Joe have spilled their guts." A wolfish grin slashed across his face. "And we have enough information about Marko's connections to the South American drug cartels."

It was obvious that Damon's single-minded determination to bring his brother's killer down wouldn't terminate with the dead of Marko. He would follow this case through to the end, no matter how long it took.

"Are you guys wrapping things up here soon?" Jeremy asked as he walked towards them.

Damon glanced at Elena. "Well, I don't know how long it is going to take us to mount this raid on the South America drug cartels…"

"What about the money Marko was looking after?" aunt Jenna asked. "Are you guys going to find it? We are talking about millions, aren't we?"

"We will still continue looking for the money," Enzo said.

"I'm pretty sure we will find it eventually," Damon said.

x x x

 _MYSTIC FALLS 24 JUNE 2006_

Damon stayed with Stefan until he had been discharged from the hospital five days later. Stefan's arm was still in a sling otherwise he was able to go back to school. Since Stefan was safely back home now, Damon knew it was time.

He had made up his mind.

He was leaving Mystic Falls.

What else could he do otherwise?

Told Stefan to stay away from Elena because she belonged to him?

No way!

Stefan could sacrifice everything for Elena. Could he do the same?

He wasn't sure.

There was no doubt he and Elena had something special between them. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

And he knew she felt something for Stefan too.

"How long are you planning to avoid me?"

He turned around and saw Elena standing next to him at the bar counter. She looked furious.

"I'm not avoiding you." He swallowed more bourbon. "Don't think so highly of yourself, Elena."

Her jaw tightened. "You are still upset about Stefan's injury, aren't you?"

He tossed the bourbon down. "I'm not upset. Why should I be upset?"

"I know it's my fault Stefan was injured…"

He set the empty glass down on the counter. "It's not your fault, Elena. Don't you get it? Stefan loves you, he really loves you. He is willing to do anything for you. Anything."

She hesitated. "I know Stefan cares about me…"

"I don't want to know anything about your relationship with Stefan," he said bluntly. "Nothing at all."

"But you need to know," Elena said. Her voice was shaky. "You and I…"

"What?" he snapped. "Friends?"

"Damon..."

"I'm serious, Elena. I can't see you anymore. I don't want to hear your voice, I don't want to talk to you, I don't even want to look at you, and I sure as hell don't want to be your friend,"

Elena felt as though he had just slugged her in the stomach. She swallowed. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes, that's what I want," he said, standing. "Go home, Elena. You don't belong here."

With that Damon turned around and walked out of Mystic Grill.

God that hurt, he thought. It hurt like hell.

Damon Salvatore didn't like weakness of any kind and no doubt Elena Gilbert would always be his weakness, he thought.

Staying away from Mystic Falls would probably be the best decision for Stefan, Elena and him.

It was almost midnight when he reached home.

He found Stefan asleep on the sofa. The pricey new computer that uncle Zach had given him for his birthday was still glowing. The screen showed several photos of his birthday party and Elena was in most of them.

Damon locked the front door and checked the windows. It was a nightly ritual, one he had followed faithfully since the day he became a cop.

He tossed a blanket over Stefan and climbed the stairs to his room. He powered up his own computer. He went through the other nightly ritual, checking to make sure that there were no new bills to be paid. Satisfied that the electricity and the phones were safe for another month, he wrote an email to his uncle, giving a short summary of what was going to happen. He told Zach that he would be joining the FBI and wouldn't be able to come home so often.

He stripped down to his briefs, put his cell on the night table, turned off the lights and got into bed. With his arms folded behind his head, he contemplated the moonlit night through the window.

He would leave Mystic Falls first thing in the morning.

He would not see Elena again.

The following morning, Damon left Mystic Falls in his blue Camaro just before Stefan woke up.

Goodbye Elena Gilbert, he said to himself as he drove his car out of the small town.


	17. Chapter 17

_MYSTIC FALLS 18 July 2016_

"What are you doing here?" Elena exclaimed, her mouth open in astonishment.

"I came to see you." Damon did not take his eyes off her. "May I come in?" he asked politely, and begrudgingly Elena moved aside and allowed him to come through the door.

"How did you find me, Damon?" she asked as she closed the door behind him.

"Jeremy said you came here to do some work so that you can get this house ready for the market," he asked. "What kind of work are you thinking of doing?"

"Half the lamps and wall fixtures at the place are burned out. I need to replace them."

"I will do it for you."

The offer left her open-mouthed for a beat, and then, for some inexplicable reason, her pulse kicked up. It took her a few seconds to pull herself together.

"That's very nice of you," she said, suddenly cautious.

"No trouble. It's not like I have got anything else to do today."

"I see." She gave him a chilly smile. It was always good to know where one fit into a man's list of priorities. "Don't you need to wrap things up before you go back to New York?"

An unreadable expression lit his eyes. "You are right. There are definitely things that need wrapping up."

She hesitated, evidently sensing a trap. "Are you going to help me to replace the light bulbs? I want to paint one of the walls in the bedroom."

"Okay." He removed his jacket. "I will start with the light bulbs and then help you with the painting."

She hesitated and then made herself do the right thing. He was doing her a favour. The least she could do was be gracious.

"Thanks," she said.

He surprised her with a wicked smile. "For offering to deal with the house or for rescuing you from Marko?"

She gave him polite bewilderment. "For the offer to help with the house, of course." She cleared her throat. "There's a lot to do. We better start now."

"Don't change any bulbs that require getting on a ladder," Damon said as she reached for the sack full of light bulb. "It's too dangerous. People fall off ladders all the time. I will take care of the ceiling and wall fixtures. You can check the lamps in the living room and bedrooms."

She smiled, shook her head and started opening up the packages of light bulbs. Really, this man was too protective at times.

Elena took a sip of her soft drink.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"The wall certainly needs a new paint," Damon said. "It looks like this house needs a lot of repair."

"This house has been left empty for a long, long time," she said. "Jeremy and I haven't been to this house since my parents died."

They were standing inside one of the bedrooms, contemplating the wall. A short time earlier, Damon had replaced the last of the burned-out bulbs in the ceiling fixtures that she had been unable to reach. After examining the wobbly stepladder in the hall closet, she had concluded that he'd had a point about the dangers of ladders.

The lights were on throughout the house now, but it seemed to Elena that the house was as gloomy as ever. Things would be different if the walls were painted.

Damon swallowed some of his soft drink, leaned down and used a chisel to poke at the wall. Some of the paint crumbled into fine dust.

He straightened and set the soft drink on a side table near the bed. "The paint is coming off in a bad way. I could probably take this down with my bare hands."

"I wonder whether the wall behind the paint is still intact," Elena said.

Damon shook his head and studied the wall with the expression of a doctor surveying a doomed patient. "I think we need to remove the paint and have a good look."

"How long do you think it will take to remove the paint?"

"Not long—maybe a couple of hours, start to finish. I will want to go slow so I don't do any damage to the wall."

"A couple of hours." Elena glanced at her watch. "Why don't we have lunch and then tackle the wall?"

"Good idea."

Damon looked remarkably cheerful, she thought. No, not cheerful, more like filled with keen anticipation. She could see it in his eyes.

It was just lunch. So why was she feeling a little rattled?

"How does pizza sound for lunch?" she asked.

"Very good," he said. "Terrific."

"I will give the pizza shop a call." She reached for her cell phone. "Delivery shouldn't take too long."

An hour later Elena stood at the doorway and watched Damon remove the old paint from the wall. It dawned on her that she liked to watch him, regardless of the task at hand—driving, cooking in the kitchen, changing a light bulb, removing paint. She just liked to look at him.

"When are you going back to New York?" she asked.

Damon used the chisel to remove the old paint. More paint fell free. He caught it and placed it on top of the growing stack.

"Depends," he said.

She let it go. Damon would talk only when he was ready, and that might be never.

"You were saying you trusted me with something that frightened you a lot more than the details of a murder investigation the other day," she said.

Belatedly, she wished she had kept her mouth shut.

Damon paused. "Yeah, something that frightens me a lot more than any other crimes in this world."

She raised her brows. "Meaning?"

He pried off more paint. "Meaning we need to talk about it."

She exhaled slowly. "When?"

"When I finish removing this freaking paint from the wall." He pried off more paint. "Jesus, someone should have repaired this wall ages ago."

She laughed. "Aunt Jenna has a lot of talents, but home repair is not among them."

He laughed too. "Really? I thought Aunt Jenna is a wonder woman."

Elena laughed harder.

He removed the last of the paint and studied the wall and backing for a moment. Then he reached for another tool.

A few minutes later, he removed the tool, revealing the dark opening.

"Looks like there is something inside," he said.

Elena moved forward, trying to peer into the darkness. She could make out a large lumpy shape.

"Why on earth would Aunt Jenna…" She stopped.

"Got a flashlight?" Damon asked. "If you don't, I can get one from my car."

"There is one in the kitchen. I will get it."

"I think I'm going to need a clean towel, too."

Elena went into the kitchen. When she returned, Damon took the towel and used it to remove a poker that had been lodged inside the fireplace.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I can't be positive yet, but I have got a feeling that this is not going to be good."

He set the poker aside and took the flashlight from her. He aimed the beam through the opening. She moved closer and looked into the deep opening.

"Looks like a plastic bag," she said.

"Look closer."

A cold chill iced her blood. "Is that a black garbage bag? Don't tell me someone stuffed some trash behind the wall. That would be just too weird."

"Garbage bags don't have zippers," Mason said. "It's a leather duffel bag."

"Good grief." Elena stepped back reflexively. "I can't believe it."

Damon used the towel again to reach into the opening. He removed the bag and opened the zipper. It was full of one hundred dollar notes.

"Marko's money," she said.

x x x

"Stefan kept the money here because nobody would have thought he would keep it here," Elena said.

"It looks like it," Damon said. "How did he know about this place?"

"One of the windows was broken during the storm three years ago. Jeremy was away for a business trip and I was in a conference. Aunt Jenna probably asked him to fix it."

"That's why he knew about this place," he said. "This house belongs to Jeremy. Marko wouldn't have thought that Stefan would keep his money here."

He watched Elena out of the corner of his eye as he removed two bottles of water from the refrigerator. She probably needed something stronger than water, he thought. He could not tell how she was handling the shock of the discovery. She appeared surprisingly calm—maybe sombre was a better word. Then again, it was possible she was simply exhausted. It had been a very long day, and it wasn't over yet.

They were back in the kitchen of the lake house. Elena was slumped in a chair at the table. It was late in the evening. Enzo and the two FBI agents who had accompanied him had finally departed after taking a lot of pictures and bagging up some samples of the debris on the wall. The leather duffel bag had been loaded into the patrol car and driven off into the night.

A yellow crime scene tape had been strung across the wide doorway into the living room. Enzo had warned Elena doing anything to the wall until further notification from the FBI. She had assured him in a sharp tone that she had no plans to do so. In any event, the bedroom would need to be thoroughly cleaned and inspected first.

"Dear heaven." Elena shook her head slowly, awed. "I can't believe Stefan had stuffed the money behind the wall here. It's unbelievable."

"Stefan was smart. He hid the money here and there's no way we would have found the money if you didn't decide to come here to do something for the house."

hief Whitaker's last words had been exactly what Mason had expected. "I want you both to come to the station in the morning. I'll need statements."

Damon sat down at the table. He opened the bottles of Summer Springs water and placed one in front of Elena.

Elena contemplated the bottle as if she had never seen one before. Then she picked it up and drank some of the water.

"It looks like we accidentally closed the case," she said.

"You never know what you are going to find when you start down the DIY remodelling road."

She blinked, brows crinkling in a frown. "That is probably a very inappropriate remark."

"Probably."

"So why do I want to laugh?"

"Don't worry, it's a nervous reaction."

Damon let his words seethe in the atmosphere between them. There was nothing more he could say.

Elena took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I need a moment here."

Damon sat quietly. He finished the water and set the bottle aside.

"Are you upset?" he asked after a while. "Upset about what Stefan had done?"

"What about you?" She looked at him. "Are you upset?"

He took a breath. "He was my brother."

Silence stretched between them.

"But you know what they say about families, Elena," he said eventually.

"What?"

"Families stick together, no matter what happens."


	18. Chapter 18

_MYSTIC FALLS 19 JULY 2016_

Elena flipped through the pages of the large photo album. She studied the faded pictures. In one photo, Miranda Gilbert was wearing a magnificent white wedding gown—laughing and running down the cathedral steps on Grayson Gilbert's arm beneath a shower of rice. She smiled at the sight of her parents looking so lovely on their wedding day. In another picture, Miranda smiling down at the infant she held in her arms. Grayson Gilbert stood behind her, his hand resting tenderly on her shoulder. He looked out at the camera with the unmistakable grin of a proud father. It was a family portrait when Elena was born.

She flipped through another page. There were photos of her with Jeremy when he was born. A grin appeared on her face when she looked at them. She and Jeremy had got along very well all these years. They did fight and argue when they were children but they loved each other.

Then she saw the photos of her and Caroline when they were still studying in Mystic Falls High School. In one photo, the girls were wearing their Halloween costume; in another, they were in their beautiful dresses when they attended the prom. Stefan had escorted her to the prom. She stared at it for a long moment, then reached out and lightly touched Stefan's smiling mouth. She thought she knew Stefan well enough. Obviously, she was wrong.

At the sound of the footsteps at her doorway, Elena raised her head.

"Hey," she said softly as she stood up from the chair.

"Hey back." He glanced at the photo album. "Nice photos."

She took the album and put it back in the shelves. "I'm just tidying up my room."

"Are you okay?" He hitched his head in the direction from which he had come. "Jeremy and Aunt Jenna are worried about you. You have been quiet since you came back from the holiday house."

She exhaled slowly. "I'm okay."

"Are you?"

"I'm fine. I swear." She shrugged. "I'm just thinking…maybe I shouldn't dwell so much on finding out the answers. Maybe I should start over. I want to focus on my career now. I was thinking that I should try giving myself a chance. Some big cities maybe."

 _What about New York?_ The words hovered on his tongue but, of course, he could never ask her, especially when he didn't know where their relationship was heading to.

"I guess I can go anywhere now," she continued. "I'm by myself now."

"You are not alone, Elena," he said quietly. "I will always be here for you."

She drew a sudden breath of chilly air and stared at him. "Don't lie to me like that, Damon Salvatore. You won't be sticking around long enough. You'd run like a jackrabbit."

He squinted one eye, as though considering it. "I know but I think I have found me a damn good reason to stick around."

"What?"

He took one of her hands and brought it to his mouth. "You are the reason, Elena," he added hoarsely.

"Damon…"

He put a finger over her lips. "No, let me finish this. I told you I trusted you with something that frightened me a lot more than the details of a murder investigation the other day."

She swallowed hard. "What's that?"

"My heart. Is it enough?"

Elena felt a smile come from somewhere deep inside her and couldn't stop it from bursting across her face.

"I have had lots of women and I have left them by the dozens," he admitted. He stepped forward and gathered her in his arms. "But you, Elena Gilbert, is the one I find hard to leave and even harder to forget."

"Oh, Damon." She pressed her lips to his, trying to show him with her mouth everything she felt, all the love she thought he would ever want.

Keeping their mouths cemented, he climbed into her bed, dragging Elena with him. Once she laid on her back, she reached for his mouth with her own.

"Damn, Elena, I gotta breathe sometime," he said, finally tearing his lips free.

"I don't want you to run away again."

"I'm not running away." Grinning, he whisked his thumb over her moist lips. "You are the damnedest woman I ever met."

"Half the time I don't know whether to slap you or kiss you."

Chuckling, he parted her Levi's jacket and lowered his head to nuzzle her breasts. She tugged his shirttail from his waistband far enough to get her hands underneath it and onto his bare skin.

Breathlessly, she asked, "Would you come and find me if Stefan was still alive?"

He lay down beside her. "Now…" He made a regretful sound and shook his head. "I have been miserable without you all these years. When Stefan told me about the wedding, it killed me. I knew I needed to see you one more time, if only to tell you how I feel. If you shoved me out of the door, I would just have to live with it, but at least I would know I tried. But…"

"But the news of Stefan's death came up at that time."

"I'm sorry, Elena." He sighed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think! I shouldn't have left without saying goodbye."

Her cheek resting against his chest where his heartbeat sounded strong and solid against her ear, she smiled softly. "It's okay. I forgave you. You were just stupid, that's all."

He chuckled. "Yes, I was stupid, definitely stupid. But I promise you this." He scooted closer, half covering her body with his. His voice turned soft and sexy. "I love you, Elena. I would be faithful to you. I would make good love to you every night. And sometimes during the daytime, too. I'm not squeamish when it comes to making love. I do it all, baby. Whatever you want. There's nothing I wouldn't do if it made you feel good."

She swallowed visibly.

"When I left for work every morning, you would know that you were the most important thing on my mind. Not chasing after a bad guy."

She smiled softly and brought his mouth to her again. "I don't want you to give up your career because of me. I know your job means a lot to you. I love you too, Damon. I want you to be happy."

"Now listen carefully, Elena. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you."

Tears filled her eyes but he didn't seem to notice. "I'm not sure whether you will like New York or not. I know an apartment isn't what you are used to," he went on. "No woman has ever lived in my apartment. You will be the first and the only one. You can do the decoration again if you want to. You could fix it up any way you want."

Did he really think she cared where she lived? She didn't want to live in Mystic Falls or New York - or anywhere else, for that matter – without Damon there. She started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You can save your sales pitch, Damon. I'm already convinced."

"Is that a yes?" he asked in a voice suddenly gruff.

She smiled. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you, if that's what you want."

A vast relief poured through him and he kissed her hard. When they finally broke apart, he glanced warily toward her door. "Damn, Elena. Your family is downstairs. If you don't quit kissing me like that, we will have to start the honeymoon right here and now."

She bit his lower lip. "That's the general idea."

A grin appeared on his face. "You ask for a honeymoon. You will get a honeymoon right now."

Damon kissed her hungrily on the mouth. The kiss grew deeper, until she was shuddering in response. Then his lips slid down to her throat. He continued kissing her while he unfastened her jeans. He pulled down the zipper and slid his hand inside.

"Damon."

"You can't even imagine how good this feels. How good my name sounds when you say it like that."

Elena sucked in her breath. She felt his leg shift beneath her. He raised his knee. The rough fabric of his jeans slid along the inside of her thighs, burning her skin, opening her to his touch. The bulge of his confined erection throbbed against her belly.

"You are so wet, I can feel the dampness right through my jeans," Damon muttered. "I want you now. Before I lose my mind."

Using only one hand, he stripped off his jeans and T-shirt, and slid between the sheets beside her. Sighing, he curved his arm around her waist and drew her against him. His sex was pressed full and strong between their bellies.

Elena shuddered at the sensations that coursed through her. Her heart overflowed with love and happiness. She rocked her body against his invitingly. Bracing himself above her, he leaned over for a kiss.

"Kiss me," he whispered.

She did. As they kissed, he gathered her beneath him. Effortlessly, he slipped into her warm centre. The loving was smooth and easy, creating no more havoc than butter melting, with the smallest motions and minimal sounds, only the rustling of their naked bodies among the linens. He stretched into her, reaching higher than before because love propelled him.

His hands covered her breasts, rubbed them, petted them. He stroked her thighs. When the momentum reached the breaking point, they clasped hands on either side of her head and held onto each other until long after the climax had subsided.


	19. Epilogue

_NEW YORK 25 DECEMBER 2016_

"Did you like your gifts?" Damon asked anxiously.

"Yes. Everything was wonderful, but unnecessary. I have everything I need right here with me on this couch." Elena reached up and stroked his cheek. Lying on the couch with her head resting on her husband's shoulder, Elena watched the silver flash of tinsel glittered brightly on the Christmas tree in the living room of their apartment in New York.

God, Damon loved it when she said things like that. And Elena wasn't just saying it. He knew it was coming from her heart.

"Merry Christmas, my love," Elena said wistfully, her voice quivering with emotion.

"Merry Christmas, baby," he answered, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer him.

Damon knew they would face challenges in their lives, but right now he knew Elena was right. Everything he needed was right here on this couch, and he was never going to let Elena go again.

They laid on the couch for a very long time, savouring the feel of being a family. Damon remembered when they got married in Hawaii a month ago. He had never felt so happy in his life. Elena was his wife. Finally.

He remembered clearly what he had said to her on the night of their wedding.

"Elena." He took her shoulders between his hands and turned her to face him. "I'm going to fight whatever or whoever I must to be with you for the rest of my life, even if it means fighting you first. Life's too damn short and too precious to waste a single day on misery and unhappiness. Listen to me. I love you," he vowed, his hands tensing, gripping her tighter. "I need you, Elena."

She smiled when she heard his words, then placed her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "I need you," she whispered earnestly. "I love you, too."

They came together in a fierce embrace. And after they kissed and spent the whole night making love with passion and tenderness which made Damon grinned every time he thought about it.

After some time had passed, Elena murmured quietly, "I like our life like this." She let out a quiet, contented sigh.

Damon's arm tightened reflexively around her. "I am a lucky bastard," he rasped. "You make me so happy."

"You make me happy too," she whispered.

He kissed her lips lightly and rolled her onto her back on the couch, pinning her beneath him. His heart began to race as he looked into Elena's eyes and saw the woman who had changed his whole existence, the woman who made his future look better than it ever had before. "I know how to make you a lot…happier." And yeah, it involved a bed…or maybe just a wall, or even the shower.

Elena lifted her hand, slowly brushing her fingertips across his hard jaw in a soft caress. "Show me later," Elena whispered to him seductively. "Right now, just kiss me."

"Mine," Damon growled as he brought her lips close to his. "And you can count on being shown everything later."

He stayed just like that for a brief moment, their eyes locked together, Elena's warm breath caressing his mouth. "Merry Christmas, Damon," Elena whispered softly.

Damon shuddered and covered her mouth with his, unable to have Elena so close and not kiss her.

The rest of their private party came later that night, the two of them celebrating the merriest Christmas they had ever had.


End file.
